The Harem King and I
by Keirajoy
Summary: It is said that humans have insatiable desires. They plough through life to fulfill these desires and still yearn for more. This is a fact that Rito Yuuki came to understand after he ascended the throne as planet Deviluke's new king. [Rito X Harem]
1. A Man's Resolve

**The Harem King and I**

**Summary:** It is said that humans have insatiable desires. They plough through life to fulfill these desires and still yearn for more. This is a fact that Rito Yuuki came to understand after he ascended the throne as planet Deviluke's new king.

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** I do not own To Love Ru.

**Author's Note:** I'm not really fond of watching overly ecchi anime but I find the girl characters in _To Love Ru_ fun to play with. Hence, I came up with this fanfic to explore their late night interactions with Rito behind closed doors. If you find this disturbing, please run away now. You have been warned.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**A Man's Resolve**

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><p>Rito Yuuki stared at Lala's sleeping figure on his bed quietly. In the past, she would slip into his bed unnoticed in the middle of the night. But after the incident with her father, he decided to make an effort to reciprocate her feelings. One night, when he made the announcement that she could sleep on his bed, Lala nearly burst into tears as she tackled him to the ground and rained kisses on his face as thanks. He smiled reminiscently. It was embarrassing since Zastin and Mikan were there to witness it but it was all worth it.<p>

From then on, he had the pleasure of watching her sleep with the moonlight gleaming on her skin and her glorious pink hair spread on his pillow. It's such a fascinating sight. Even after a few years, her beauty and her childlike innocence never failed to take his breath away, just like the first time they met in his bathroom and changed his life forever. At times, he was almost tempted to take their relationship to the next level but he chose to restrain himself. He had fallen in love with her seriously and he became more determined to be a man worthy of her sincere love.

The incident that brought the fate of the earth in his hands was an eye opening experience to him. Right there and then, Rito discovered his own weaknesses as a human and as a man. He saw in perspective that every time an ambitious alien tried to take Lala's hand in marriage forcefully, he was always beaten up badly or knocked unconscious no matter how much he struggled to fight back. It was either Lala or Yami-chan who ended up dealing with the threat. That's when he came to the realize that he was always the one being protected.

It's not that he's complaining about his condition. Actually, he felt lucky to have friends willing to risk their lives to help him out but his desire to have the power to protect them with his own hands grew stronger. He couldn't stand the thought of staying the same helpless earthling so he had to take the initiative to change himself.

It was around that time when he secretly asked Zastin to train him in the art of sword fighting and military tactics inside his spaceship. At first, he was bad at it and his body ached from physical and mental exhaustion. But with constant practice and Zastin's patient instructions, he gained the mind, endurance and reflexes needed to become a decent commander and sparring partner.

Of course, he was careful not to let his new skills show in school. He wanted to keep his training a secret mostly because he wanted to surprise Lala. But, the more skilled he became, the more his agitation grew as he considered his future. In the past, he only wanted a normal life where he'd graduate from college with a degree in horticulture, get a job, get married, have kids and then die of old age. It was really simple back then but now, he wanted something more out of his life.

And today, as graduation day drew to a close, the path he had to take became clearer to him. In order to fulfill his desire to protect his family, his friends, his home planet and his beloved Lala, he must become the King.

After draping a blanket over Lala's body and kissing her cheek gently, Rito stood up and placed a small box with a letter of instruction over his desk. It pained him to leave them in this manner. He could almost imagine their angry faces for keeping them in the dark about his plans but this was for the best. He still didn't have that kind of courage to say goodbye without breaking down himself.

Glancing at her sleeping figure for the last time, he swung the backpack over his shoulder and left the room. As he closed the door, Zastin was standing there silently with an anxious expression.

"Are you sure you want to do this now, Muko-dono?" he whispered in a worried tone. "Can't you wait until Lala-sama wakes up so you can say goodbye properly?"

"Let's go, Zastin. I want to talk with King Deviluke." Rito said, ignoring the commander's suggestion.

Seeing the determined look on his face, Zastin gave up and took Rito aboard his spaceship stationed outside the Earth's atmosphere. Once there, the commander gave the instruction to patch him through the royal command center for Rito Yuuki-sama had requested an audience with the King himself.

It only took a minute before the huge screen glowed and King Deviluke appeared sitting on his throne. He was still the same devilish looking child but his royal garb made him seem even more menacing.

"You wished to speak with me, my temporary son-in-law?" he inquired, his chin resting over his fist.

"Yes, your highness." Rito answered respectfully, clenching his hands into fists to still their trembling. "I called because I have a favor to ask."

The King laughed mockingly. "You dare to ask me for a favor... a mere earthling?" he said in a derisive tone.

Ignoring the deliberate slight on his origin, Rito pressed on. "With all due respect, Sir. I wish you would hear me out first." he implored. "Please."

The King watched him through the screen quietly. Two years had passed since he last saw his son-in-law. Back then, he was a weak and indecisive earthling. The only redeeming factors he had were his kindness and courage. But now, the boy standing before him was different. His eyes held that familiar determined glint and his stance bespoke confidence and the strength of his resolve.

A secret smile touched his lips. Zastin's weekly reports hinted that his son-in-law had undergone changes but this was beyond his expectations.

"Very well, speak. What is it that you want from me?" the King said finally.

"I wish to be trained in Planet Deviluke, Sir."

"Hmm… trained for what?" the King inquired, though he knew exactly what the boy meant.

"With your guidance, I want to become the number one man in the universe, your Highness." Rito said with such determination that even Zastin and the ones on the deck were astonished. "I believe I'm ready to fulfill my promise to you."

His proclamation made the King laugh again, this time in amusement. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that." He admitted. "But I must warn you, you won't be able to contact your friends or my daughter, Lala. Also, the royal training could even result to your death. Are you prepared for that?" he challenged, his tail flicking ominously.

"Yes." Rito answered without hesitation.

This single word of confirmation made quite an impression on the King that in spite of himself he smiled at the boy's tenacity. "Very well. Favor granted." He turned his eyes to his trusted commander. "Zastin, bring my son-in-law in here as soon as possible." He ruled, leaning back in his chair satisfied.

"Yes, your Highness." Zastin answered, bowing respectfully before his King.

"Thank you, King Deviluke!" The boy said with a radiant smile on his face.

The King snorted. "Don't rejoice yet, earthling. Be prepared because I won't be easy on you." He warned.

"I'll keep it in mind, Sir."

"See you soon then, my temporary son-in-law." The King said then the line went dead.

A few tense seconds passed before the whole crew erupted with cheers for the brave earthling. Rito, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief and thanked them for their show of support. Just then, Zastin hugged him in delight, crushing him against his hard suit of armor. "You did it, Muko-dono! I'm so proud of you!" the commander said happily, before letting him go.

"Thanks, Zastin." Rito smiled, blushing slightly at the praise. "If it weren't for your encouragement and faith in me, I wouldn't be here right now."

His words brought tears to the commander's eyes. "It's an honor to serve you, Muko-dono." He said, bowing respectfully as he had with the King. The other crew members followed suit for they had long recognized Rito's kindness, dedication and strength. In their eyes, the orange-haired son-in-law has the potential to become their next ruler.

Silently, Zastin nudged the boy forward to take over as the spaceship's captain. With only a second's hesitation, Rito squared his shoulders and gave the order to steer the ship towards Planet Deviluke and take off at full speed. The crew shouted their obedience enthusiastically and set off to work.

With this. Zastin gave him an approving pat on the shoulder and left him alone on the bridge for a moment's privacy. Once he's alone, Rito sat on the captain's seat and gazed at the beauty of his home planet Earth, the blue jewel of the solar system. He never looked away, as if wanting to burn the image in his mind. He stayed there until it became a tiny dot and disappeared into the vast sea of stars.

He didn't know when he would return to earth or _if_ he would return at all. But one thing is certain, he would propose to Lala on his return and fulfill his desire to be the King.

_"Wait for me, Lala."_ He thought, as he clutched the arm rest tightly with both hands._"I will become the number one man without fail. I promise."_


	2. Farewells and New Beginnings

**Chapter 2**

**Farewells and New Beginnings**

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><p>The warm sunshine gleamed through the gap between the curtains and slowly illuminated the sleeping princess. Her eyes moved a little under her eyelids as it sensed the light. With a groan, she turned on her side, her hand seeking the warmth of her beloved Rito. However, she only felt the coolness of the sheet.<p>

Confused, Lala slowly opened her eyes and found the space beside her empty. Usually, Rito would tell her if he had to go somewhere so early in the morning. She sat up and stretched her arms. _"Maybe he got hungry." _She thought, yawning.

Standing up, she took a towel out of his drawer and went out of the room to take a shower. As the lukewarm spray of water doused her, she found herself humming happily. Later at 10:00am, they'll all meet up to celebrate their graduation from high school at the local mall downtown. They'll go watch a movie, eat at their favorite fast food chain, play at the arcade and then, go crazy at the karaoke place. "_Yes! We're going to have so much fun today!"_ she thought excitedly.

Though Lala had done the same activities before with Rito and their classmates for the past two years, she never got bored with it. The mall is always a place of wonder to her because there's always changes going on inside. It excites her to point them out like when they change the mascot in the front entrance, a new store replaces an old one, when an overhead bulb loses light, the moment a neat pile of clothes turn into a giant heap or when the decorations hanging on the ceiling are different from before and many others. What attracted her most though, were the earthlings visiting the mall. Though they are anatomically similar, it's difficult to decipher their strengths and weaknesses with just one glance.

In outer space, she can easily tell one from the other just by knowing the planet from which they came from. But earthlings are different. She can't tell their capabilities unless they choose to reveal it themselves through a casual conversation or if the situation calls for it.

Truly, the mall is a perfect place to marvel these mysteries because different kinds of earthlings gather there. There were times when she encountered earthlings who speak a different language and have different skin color but they are definitely human. In her eyes, the mall has become a melting pot of culture and Lala is enamored with it.

While the pink-haired princess was immersed inside the bathtub full of bubbles, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Rito, is that you in there?" Mikan asked aloud, through the gap in the door.

"No, Mikan-chan. It's me, Lala." She answered, her voice echoing in the confined space. "Rito woke up early today. Isn't he downstairs?"

"Strange. I've been up all morning but I haven't seen him." Mikan said thoughtfully. "Anyway, I'll go check if his shoes are still by the door. Thanks, Lala!" she closed the door behind her and quickly went downstairs in search of her brother.

"_Where are you, Rito?"_ Mikan thought as she stared blankly at her brother's undisturbed rubber shoes in the doorway. Actually, a sense of foreboding woke her up at dawn. It was an irrational feeling but she couldn't shake it off, hence, she decided to distract herself by cooking an early breakfast. But when she came upstairs to wake up the couple and saw the empty room, the feeling came again more sharply than before. She couldn't ignore this feeling not until she confirms with her own eyes that Rito is safe.

Meanwhile, Lala got up from the tub and rinsed. The tinge of worry she heard in Mikan's voice disturbed her, too. It was strange that Rito left without telling her or his little sister about his destination.

Wrapping the towel around her body, she returned to Rito's room and for the first time, she noticed the subtle changes in there. First off, Rito's side of the bed was smoothed out. Even his pillow had no dent in it as if he hadn't slept there at all. Then, the picture of her holding an "I love you, Rito" sign and their senior year class picture taped on the wall above his desk were missing. Only a white box remained atop the desk with a small envelope. Curious, she picked up the envelope and read the letter inside.

It simply said in Rito's handwriting, _"Gather our friends together in the living room. The item in this box will explain everything.- Rito"_

After reading that cryptic message, Lala opened the box and found a small hologram projector from planet Deviluke. It's black in color and about the same size as a golf ball with a barely visible button at the surface that activates it. Despite her overwhelming curiosity to find out the message it contains, she immediately decided to do her fiance's bidding.

Dropping the towel on the floor, she asked Peke to dress her up but then she was greeted by silence.

She blinked in confusion. "Peke?" Her hand touched the top of her head and found her gone. Panicked, she called out her robot's name over and over until she heard a sound inside the closet and Peke tumbled out of it.

"I'm here… Lala… sama… hic!" she said, in a strange, slurred voice. The robot tried to stand but her feet failed her and again, she slumped on the ground. Lala quickly went on her knees and asked what happened while cradling the robot in her arms.

The robot explained haltingly that Zastin invited him to drink sake last night. She got drunk first so she decided to excuse herself and go back. Peke didn't want to disturb them with her drunkenness so she slept inside the closet instead.

"I'm sorry, Lala-sama… I can't… help you today." Peke said apologetically. "I can't believe Earthling alcohol is this...potent."

Lala hugged her partner soothingly. "It's okay. Have some rest now, Peke. You need it." she said, then she laid Peke on her beloved's bed gently and tucked her in.

"Thank you, Lala-sama." Peke murmured and then dozed off immediately.

The princess considered her companion's statement and found Zastin's behavior rather bizarre, too. In all the years she had known him, he wasn't the type to initiate a drinking session with anyone. He had always held this belief not to drink alcohol during work hours unless there's a special occasion and he's forced to drink as a show of courtesy and camaraderie. One mystery leads to another. _This case is getting more and more interesting_, she thought with a finger over her lips.

Without another word, she sought out Mikan downstairs to borrow some of her clothes and then asked her future sister-in-law to help contact her classmates to meet here at their house instead of the train station like they planned.

"Tell me, what happened to my brother?" Mikan asked worriedly without moving from her spot.

Lala quickly gave her a hug and said, "Don't worry. We'll find out soon enough, okay?" she smiled reassuringly.

Gaining strength from her words, Mikan nodded and quickly led Lala to her room to get her some clothes to wear. Later, they were in the living room again, each lost in conversation with their friends on the phone, to gather everyone just like what Rito wanted in his letter. It was time to put to light the truth of this mystery.

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><p>Meanwhile, the spaceship arrived in planet Deviluke two hours ago and one of the royal attendants welcomed them and extended the royal invitation to attend a small gathering the King of Deviluke organized in his honor. Soon, Rito was escorted into a large, luxurious room and the royal valets, who looked so human except for their Devilukean tails, immediately set off to bathe him, groom him and dress him up for the occasion that night.<p>

The experience itself was overwhelming. Never in his whole life had he stood still and let everyone do the work for him. It was embarrassing at first but as he surrendered completely in their care, he felt relaxed and utterly content.

Now, as he stood before a full length mirror, Rito can't help but stare at his reflection. In his humble opinion, he looked rather princely dressed in a stiff maroon jacket laced with gold embroidery around the cuffs of his sleeves and running down his chest to hide the front clasps, black pants with a gold stripe at the outside seam and black boots. A baldric of gold with the royal family emblem rests against his chest, holding the sword Zastin gave him as a congratulatory gift for his graduation.

He smiled, standing straight with his chest high and his hand on the hilt of his sword. Yup, he looked very princely indeed.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Zastin walked in and instead of his usual armor, he wore a long sleeved gray jacket with a stiff collar, green shoulder loops and metal buttons down the front, matching black pants and boots. And instead of a baldric, he wore a black leather belt over his jacket and it held the smaller version of his sword securely against his hip.

He reminded him so much of high ranking police officials back on Earth but Zastin looked more dignified and not to mention, dangerous.

"You look great in your attire, Zastin." Rito commented with an appreciative smile.

Zastin chuckled, unused to being complimented with his choice of garment. Devilukeans rarely voice out such things but earthlings are different. They are lavish with their praises and always take note of little things that Devilukeans like himself usually regard as insignificant. He found it strange at first but in the two years he spent mingling with humans, he came to love them for it.

"Thank you, Muko-dono. I am honored by your praise." he said, bowing respectfully. "You look quite handsome yourself. If Lala-sama sees you now, she'll be very pleased."

Rito scratched his neck out of embarrassment, as is his habit. "Oh, you think so?" he blushed shyly at the thought of Lala. "Thanks, Zastin."

From behind the commander, an attendant appeared and told them it's time to walk to the banquet hall. Soon, their slow procession started with the attendant walking ahead followed by Zastin and Rito with four guards trailing behind them.

Rito clenched his hands to fist. His attire is made of heavy cotton and if he was on Earth, he would be sweating profusely. But now, he felt cold with nervousness. As far as formal dinners were concerned, he could only remember the time when he, Lala and Haruna were obligated to meet Prince Carter of planet Burroughs as ambassadors of peace. But it only went on briefly because soon it turned into a competition over the title of becoming the greatest hunter in the universe (which Haruna won, by the way).

The journey felt like it was going on forever and everywhere he looked he saw the elaborate high ceilings and long stretch of corridors lined up with various paintings and unearthly treasures. Noticing the boy's preoccupation, Zastin talked to him briefly about Devilukean rules of conduct and etiquette. He said it was somewhat similar to how earthlings treat monarchy. The important thing was to be respectful at all times. Also given his position, it was probably best to win the good graces of the influential guests present. Strangely, as the commander continued to talk and advice him, Rito felt himself relax little by little. In his opinion, his calm and no-nonsense tone of voice was somewhat reassuring.

Soon, they were making their way down through a long red carpeted corridor leading to a huge doorway to the King of Deviluke's throne room. The walkway was lined up with armored soldiers on each side and though they appeared unmoving, he could feel the weight of their stares. Despite that, he walked on confidently with Zastin by his side. This isn't the time to feel scared or hesitant, he thought. For the sake of their future, he has to move forward.

Just then, the white door opened and a trumpet is sounded to announce his presence. "The royal guest of honor, Rito Yuuki-sama, the First Princess' fiancé and heir to the throne of Deviluke!"

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back and walked regally towards the glittering light. His journey as the number one man in the universe has just begun.

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><p>A blue-haired girl was running down the street at top speed while skillfully avoiding pedestrians along the way and unmindful of how her pleated white skirt lifts as she jumps over minor hindrances. All that mattered was for her to reach the Yuuki residence as soon as possible.<p>

She was already at the meeting place when she received the important call from Lala. Her hands shook as she heard that Rito was nowhere to be found and he only left a letter asking them all to meet at his house. Overcame with worry, she answered that she was on her way and took off almost immediately. As she ran ahead, the time after their graduation ceremony came to her mind vividly.

_After bowing to their homeroom teacher for the last time, their classmates quickly sought out their friends to hug each other in congratulations. The only one who did not move from his seat was Rito and for a moment, she caught a glimpse of his sad gaze. But before she could confirm it, Saruyama caught Rito by the neck and asked candidly why he was spacing out. The tangerine-haired boy simply laughed and said he was going to miss high school._

_The boys nearby, who heard his comment, teased him that what he would miss most was falling over girls all the time. The jibes made Rito blush and wave his hands frantically in denial. But his friends merely laughed and teased him some more._

_Later, when the guys asked Rito about his plans after graduation, he was strangely evasive about it. Careful not to appear eavesdropping to their conversation, she inched closer and heard Rito say he was going to work but he didn't say what kind of job it was and where. After that, he steered the conversation for the other guys to reveal their plans. She felt disappointed Rito didn't elaborate his plans further. If he was going to work, she had imagined herself dropping by his workplace after her classes so she could still see him every day._

"Haruna! Hey Haruna!"

The girl slowed her pace and looked behind her to see who was calling her name. Just then, her two best friends, Risa and Mio, appeared in her line of vision and came running towards her. After catching their breaths, they held Haruna by the shoulders and said, "Bad news, Haruna! Yuuki is missing!"

Ignoring the sudden spike of worry she felt hearing their alarmed voices, Haruna nodded her head. "Yes, I know." she said as calmly as she could. "Just calm down, okay? We don't know that for sure."

"Sorry." They said, feeling guilty for coming on too strong when Haruna was one of the most affected by this situation.

"Are you okay, Haruna?" Mio asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Haruna said, smiling weakly. "Let's go. Everyone's probably there already."

Before she turns away, Risa caught her hand, hoping to make up for their slip earlier. "Be strong, Haruna!" she said, her eyes bright. "I'm sure Yuuki has his reasons."

Taking her lead, Mio captured Haruna's other hand and added, "That's right, Haruna. Everything will be okay! Believe it!"

Haruna got teary-eyed all of a sudden. Their hopeful gazes reminded her of the time when they asked her to join them and help Rito as he struggled to save Earth. She squeezed their hands, drawing strength from them. She felt so blessed to have them by her side. Their encouraging words warmed her heart and gave her the courage that she needed. So, no matter what the truth is, she can face it bravely and everything will turn out well for sure.

Blinking back her tears, she said with a smile, "Thank you, Risa, Mio. I'll do my best."

Hand in hand, the trio ran a little further towards the taxi bay and got on a taxi that will take them directly to their destination.

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><p>Once the royal valets left the room, Rito plopped down on the king-sized four poster bed and sighed. Acting like a prince was an exhausting and nerve-wrecking experience. He was always on his toes minding his manners the entire evening. Luckily, Zastin was there to give him a hand when he ran out of something to say or when he was on the verge of tripping over and making a fool of himself.<p>

_"But if I were to become the King, I should get used to this, right?"_ He thought.

He closed his eyes, wanting to sleep but no matter which side he turned, he couldn't find a comfortable spot. Soon, he gave up and laid spread-eagle in the center of the bed, looking at the high ceiling. He wondered why he couldn't sleep. The pillows were soft and cool to his touch, the bed cover smelled like fresh flowers and the red velvet draperies around the bed provided good cover but still he felt uncomfortable.

He turned to his side and for a moment, he saw an image of Lala's sleeping figure. His hand reached out to touch her but the illusion swiftly disappeared. His heart clenched painfully. Finally, he realized what was wrong. He felt ill at ease because Lala wasn't there beside him. In that huge bed, no matter how luxurious it was, he felt utterly alone and lonely without her.

"Lala…" he whispered her name, touching the space beside him reverently. He closed his eyes, looking back on the nights he spent with her. _"I wish you're here."_ He thought as tears escaped his eyelids and soon, he drifted off to sleep.

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><p>As Haruna and her best friends arrived, Lala scanned the living room to see if everyone was present. There on the couch sat Kotegawa with her arms crossed impatiently while the trio joined her. Saruyama and Ren, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on the floor discussing theories behind Rito's disappearance. Soon, Mikan and Yami-chan emerged from the kitchen, carrying trays of tea and snacks.<p>

The boys seemed unaffected as they ate the snacks hungrily. By contrast, the girls were quiet and as Yami-chan passed the tea around using her blonde hair, the girls took it gratefully. Only Kotegawa declined because she felt too anxious to eat or drink anything.

Once everyone was settled, Lala stood near the television set and cleared her throat. "Thank you all for coming in such short notice." She said politely. "As I've mentioned on the phone, Rito has been missing. His clothes are gone from his closet and Zastin, who should be the first to prevent this situation, is missing as well." She started to pace the floor. "I can't contact him and his spaceship that's supposed to be stationed outside the Earth's atmosphere is gone."

"Maybe he just went sightseeing on another planet or something." Saruyama suggested with his hand raised.

Lala stopped and shook her head. "That's impossible. Zastin isn't the type to neglect his duty." She replied. "Anyway, to answer these mysteries, Rito left this behind." She flipped her phone open and from it emerged a white box.

She opened the box and showed them the black ball in her palm. "This is a hologram projector from planet Deviluke." She explained as her earthling friends looked at it curiously. "I don't know how Rito got this so let's find out, okay?"

As they nodded for Lala to go on, the princess held the ball and pressed the button at its center. Soon, blue lights shone from the device as it rotated fast while floating in the air and then, with a final blinding flash, it slowly descended while forming a holographic image of Rito on its trail. As soon as it reached the floor gently, Rito stood there dressed in his school uniform.

"Zastin, is this thing on?" they heard him say, looking kinda awkward.

"It's already recording, Muko-dono." Zastin answered on the background. "Just look at the blue circle."

"Oh, right, Okay. Uhm… where do I start?" Rito thought for a moment. "Well, I'm supposed to be giving you letters after graduation but Zastin persuaded me to use this holographic projector instead to make my message more realistic and personal. Anyway, by the time you're all watching this I'm probably in planet Deviluke now to meet Lala's father, King Deviluke."

"My home planet?" Lala said to no one in particular as she sat beside Ren on the floor.

"Err... Remember the condition that I have to be the number one man in the universe? Well, I'm going to ask King Deviluke to help me accomplish that condition. At this moment, I don't know if he will agree but since you're all watching this, then that means he agreed to my request." He beamed.

"Did the King tell you anything about it?" Ren asked Lala but the princess only shook her head, her eyes fixed on Rito's image.

"You might be wondering why I left without telling you all this. Well, it's mostly because I'm still a coward." He scratched his neck in his usual manner. "You see, I don't have that kind of courage to say goodbye to all of you personally. I might end up crying and that's so uncool, don't you think?" he laughed awkwardly.

"What's wrong with being uncool? Stupid Rito." Mikan said, feeling hurt because she was left out as well though she's his little sister. Yami-chan patted her back to comfort her.

He put his hands together in apology. "I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly! I'll make it up to all of you someday. That is, if I make it out alive."

"You'll survive, Muko-dono! Don't mind!" Zastin interrupted, imitating the way some humans cheer for someone as seen on TV. His awkward cheer made Rito laugh a little.

"Yeah, you're right. Well, I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Maybe two or three years?" he shrugged. "Space time is different from ours so I'm not sure. But I promise I'll make it back alive on Earth." He said confidently.

"It's time for your personal messages, Muko-dono." The commander reminded him.

"Okay. Uhm, first is… Mikan." He smiled. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone. Don't worry, I've contacted Dad and he'll be there with you soon. Good luck with your studies. I'm sure you can handle them because you're smarter than me. Oh and stay away from boys until you're emotionally prepared, okay? I don't want you falling in love with the wrong guy because I can't be there to protect you for now." He said in growing agitation. "And don't be alone with them when there's a thunderstorm! Geez. Just thinking about it now makes me more worried." He said, massaging his forehead.

Mikan can't help but chuckle at her brother's antics.

"Ah! Better yet, don't get a boyfriend till I come back!" Rito said stubbornly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he blushed and beat himself up. "Gah! What am I saying?!" he groaned. He covered his face in embarrassment. "Anyway, I'll trust your choice. Just… be careful for my sake, okay? Also, when I come back, I'll be a better brother than before so," he faced the screen squarely, "… when that time comes, call me _'Nii-chan'_ just like you used to, okay? I'll miss you, Mikan. Take care of yourself always."

"Now that's a case of sister complex. Neh, Mio?" Risa turned and found Mio crying beside her. "What the-"

Mikan was also crying silently now while hugging her knees. "Stupid brother!" she mumbled repeatedly while Yami-chan sat beside her, stroking her back, not knowing what else to do.

Rito cleared his throat. "Next is for… Yami." He said. Yami-chan looked up at the mention of her nickname. "Thank you for the constant attacks on my life these past few years. Because of you, my reflexes are better and it helped me cope with my secret training with Zastin. See?" He smiled, while flexing his muscles for emphasis. "When I get back, I think I'll be better in dodging your attacks but feel free to come at me anytime. In a way, I enjoy our little skirmishes but please don't kill me, okay?" He laughed then he paused as if he thought of something. "Oh, and let me touch your hair once. I've always been curious what feels like before it turns into a weapon." Then he blushed as he realized how he sounded, "Ah! Don't get the wrong idea! I'm just curious! Honest!"

"Ecchi." Yami-chan said, whilst blushing.

"Anyway, I admire the way you're using your powers to save people so keep at it. Just be careful not to kill anyone in the process, okay? You're a good girl after all." He smiled, recovering from his embarrassment. "Take care of yourself, Yami. I look forward to eating taiyaki with you soon."

Yami felt like something punched her in the gut. Suddenly, Mikan placed her arm around Yami-chan and hugged her. Confused, Yami-chan touched her cheeks and found it wet with tears. She felt confused. He was only a target so, should be mad because he got away from her grasp.

"It's okay, Yami-san. You'll be okay." Mikan whispered reassuringly. The golden haired girl simply nodded and let the tears fall freely from her eyes. This was the first time she felt like this about someone. It's a strange feeling but it's the truth. _"What's wrong with me?"_ she wondered.

"Now, here's my message for Ren…" Rito began.

"Hmph. So what does he want to tell me?" Ren said, crossing his arms in an arrogant way.

To his surprise, Rito smirked. "I have nothing else to say to you except I'll surpass your manliness soon enough!" he laughed, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of acting high and mighty.

"Why you-" Ren wanted to spout out insults but Saruyama quickly covered his mouth to hear the rest of the message.

"As for Run-chan…" he sobered, clearing his throat. "Thank you for always trying your best to be close to me. Stay out of trouble and have more confidence in yourself. I'm sure you'll find something to be passionate about, just like Ren who's passionate about leveling up his manliness." He smiled softly, "Passionate people like you and Ren are meant for great things so I'm looking forward to see how far both of you will go."

Ren took Saruyama's hand off his mouth and grunted. "Hah! Just wait and see, Rito. We'll make you regret saying that!" He said before looking away stubbornly to hide his blush. There was no way in hell he'd admit his words pleased him. No way.

"Next is… Kotegawa." Rito said, making the girl sit upright in her seat, anxiously awaiting his words. "I'm sorry for always ending up in compromising positions whenever you're around. But still, thank you for being patient with me until the end. I think your sense of morality has kept me on the straight path, you know. The next time we meet, I'll try to be more careful but I must admit I'll miss hearing you shout the word _shameless_." He chuckled. "Yeah, those were the good times. Anyway, good luck on your future endeavor. I don't know what you'll pursue but I kinda imagined you as a lawyer or someone involved in law enforcement…" his voice trailed off as if seeing the image in his mind's eye. "Yup, it suits you all right. But whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll excel in it."

Kotegawa was speechless. Though she was always rude to him and violent, she didn't realize that's what Rito thinks about her. During those days, her way of scolding him was just an excuse to prevent him from getting closer to anyone else. It wasn't just because of her sense of morality. Now he was faraway and she couldn't tell him about her true feelings. Her lips trembled with emotion.

"You think too highly of me, idiot!" she mumbled, before curling into a ball, hiding her face from the others.

"Now, for Haruna-chan..." He blushed, just the mere mention of her name brings back memories of liking her. After taking a deep breath, he hid his hands behind his back to hide his sudden nervousness. "I want to thank you for always believing in me, for always cheering me on and giving me courage. Now I can honestly admit again that I'm glad you were my first love since eighth grade!" He confessed rather loudly. "Ah, it feels good to say it out loud." He chuckled, relaxing a little. "See? I'm more confident now because of your support. Thank you so much, Haruna-chan." He smiled gently.

Haruna slipped off her seat, her knees felt weak and her face felt warm. What a surprise attack. She hadn't expected Rito to admit his feelings for her again in this manner. It was so embarrassing but she felt deliriously happy at the same time. Suddenly, she glanced at Lala, fearing that the princess will hate her reaction. But Lala simply smiled towards her way and flashed a thumbs up sign. Her approval made her weep with happiness. She didn't know it was possible to be friends with a love rival. Meanwhile, her best friends sat on the floor with her and hugged her tight.

"Good for you, Haruna." Risa said, feeling her own tears well up.

"We're happy for you." Mio added while crying.

"For Sawada-san and Momioka-san, I want to thank you for the friendship. You tease me mercilessly and put misleading ideas in Lala's head but those were fun times. There's never a dull moment with both of you so, I hope I'll see you again once I return." Rito said.

Risa wiped her tears away. "Look forward to it, Yuuki. We'll have lots of surprises for you." she said with a smirk.

Mio chuckled. "That's right! We're masters of mischief, after all."

"And for my beloved, Lala…", Rito blushed at the word beloved. It was his first chance to use that endearment out loud. As expected, it was really embarrassing to say. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my plans. I decided that I have to do this on my own. I wanted to have the power to protect our friends and our home but more than that... I wanted to be worthy of your love." He said softly, his voice wobbling.

"Rito…" Lala whispered, inching closer to his holographic image.

"You're always the one who shows how much you love me. Now it's my turn to show you my resolve." He straightened up, his voice gaining strength. "For you, I will become the number one man in the universe. So until then... will you wait for me, Lala?" he asked, blushing as he did so. "I know it's selfish but once I've reached my goal, I'll come back to your side and make you happy, I promise." He said, placing his hand over his heart as a pledge. "I love you, Lala. Thank you for giving my life meaning. I'll see you soon, okay?" He smiled, as tears fell from his eyes. He couldn't stop it. The thought of leaving her made him want to bawl out like a kid but he tried to hold it in and be strong for her.

"Yes, I'll see you soon. Definitely." Lala answered as tears coursed down her cheeks unnoticed. In her mind, even if Rito didn't train, he was already the number one man in the universe for her. But if this was what he wanted to do to prove himself to everyone else, then she will support him with all her heart.

A moment of silence passed as Rito tried to regain his composure. "Do you still have a message for someone else, Muko-dono?" Zastin asked gently on the background.

Rito sniffed. "Well… I guess that's about it."

"W-Wait a minute! What about me, your best friend?!" Saruyama said in protest, standing up.

"Are you sure, Muko-dono?" the commander asked again.

The tangerine-haired boy thought for a moment and then hit his fist over his fist like he had a eureka moment. "Oh, that's right, there's Saruyama!"

"Finally!" Saruyama smiled as he settled down to listen. "Of course we're best friends so save the best for last, right?" he gloated to no one in particular.

Rito raised his two fingers in a V sign. "I only have two things to say to him. One is don't eat too much curry and two, good luck on finding a girlfriend. Introduce her to me next time. That's all." He said. "It's your turn to say something, Zastin."

Saruyama stared dumbfounded at the image. "Huh?! That's it? All I get is sarcasm? No _'Thank you for helping me out'_ or _'Let's still be best friends?'_ kind of speech?! What the hell!" Saruyama ranted, as Zastin appeared beside Rito.

He grunted. "Ah, I see. That's all I am to you, huh? I get it." Saruyama started to rise from his seat. But before he could turn away, he heard Rito laugh in the background.

"Got you, didn't I, Saruyama? That's my payback for teasing me during our last homeroom." Rito grinned teasingly. "Anyway, as for my real message for you, I'm happy to call you best friend. Yeah, at times we don't see eye to eye, but still thank you for always being honest with me. Let's hang out again when I get back, all right?"

Saruyama turned his back on him, covering his eyes with his arm. "As if I'll hang out with you, idiot." He grumbled.

"Your turn, Zastin."

"Thank you, Muko-dono." Zastin said before facing forward. "My message is for Lala-sama. I'm sorry for acting without your permission. As you're watching this, your father, King Deviluke, probably ordered me to escort Muko-dono to our planet. But rest assured, I'll protect Muko-dono and once he's safely training with the King, I'll come back and protect you as your bodyguard like before. Also, I want to apologize to Peke. It was necessary for Muko-dono to leave without anyone noticing so I had to do what I can. I'm sorry, Peke. I'm sorry Lala-sama. Please forgive my rudeness." He said tearfully, as he bowed in apology.

"Actually, Zastin didn't do anything wrong. The fault lies with me, Lala." Rito explained. "So when he comes back, go easy on him, all right?" he said, patting Zastin on the back.

"Muko-dono…" Zastin starts to get teary-eyed again.

"Well then, that ends our message. Thanks for watching until the end. Again, congratulations on our graduation day and let's see each other again soon!" Rito said and the two of them waved their hands in farewell before the hologram image disappeared and the device lost its shine.

A few minutes passed and they all remained motionless, each lost in their own thoughts. Just then, Kotegawa stood up abruptly. "I'm going first. Thanks calling us here, Lala-san and Mikan-chan." she said, bowing politely and then she ran out before her control over her emotions breaks.

Taking it as a cue to go, Ren stood up and stretched his arms, declaring loudly that he's hungry so he'll go ahead as well. Upon hearing this, the others got on their feet, too. Saruyama said he'll have whatever Ren's having while Mio and Risa suggested going to their maid cafe for a free cake. Yami-chan, on the other hand, squeezed Mikan's hand before she joined the others in leaving the house.

After escorting them to the door, Mikan stared at Lala and Haruna's unmoving figures. Since they are the ones who her brother holds dear to his heart, she said she'll be in the kitchen if they needed anything and left to give them the privacy that they need to talk things over.

Once they were alone, Haruna looked at Lala and studied her profile. She was no longer crying but she had that pensive look on her face as if there's an important decision she's weighing on her mind.

"Are you okay with this, Lala?" Haruna asked finally, "Are you going to just let Rito go like that?"

Lala sighed tiredly. "I'm not sure. He wanted me to wait here but I can't imagine just sitting here and doing nothing." she said honestly. "If Rito wants to be number one then I have to improve myself as well so I can support him, right?"

"So, you're returning to your home planet as well?"

Lala considered this for a moment. "Yes, but…" She hugged her knees, as if losing confidence. "What if Rito gets angry at me for following him? What if I become a hindrance to his training? I'm… scared." she whispered, her tail flicking weakly from side to side.

Haruna crawled towards the princess and embraced her gently. "Hey, Yuuki-kun will never hate you. He said he loves you, right? That's why I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you." She said in a reassuring tone.

Lala closed her eyes, letting her doubts slip away. It's always a wonder how earthlings could bring so much comfort with just an embrace. "Will you come with me, Haruna-chan?" she asked, looking up at the blue-haired girl. "I'm sure Rito will be happy to see you, too. Together, let's train to become Rito's support in the future."

The girl tightened her hold on her as she thought of leaving earth and venturing into an unknown planet. The prospect seems daunting but if it meant being close to Rito for the rest of her life, that gave her pause. "When will you be leaving?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm… tomorrow morning at 10:00 am." Lala said with a smile. "I'll assemble my spaceship at the backyard. I'll wait for you there."

"All right. I guess I'll head out first and think about it. This is a big decision for me." She said, smiling wryly.

The princess chuckled. "Oh, I see. Then, I'll wait for your answer." She said, as they both stood up. Once they reached the doorway, Lala hugged her again and told her to be careful on her way home. Haruna hugged her back with murmured assurances and thanks before she bowed in farewell and went out of the door.

* * *

><p>In the midst of his dream, he felt a hand caress his body lovingly. It traveled from his face then down to the expanse of his chest, exploring every outline of his form. He smiled, thinking of Lala. In her sleep, there were times when she would unconsciously pull him close against her soft body and he will have a hard time falling asleep and taming his urges. But this time was different. This was the first time her hand was intent on touching him.<p>

Subconsciously, he shifted closer wanting the dream go on and to see how it would progress. Soon, the hand went down his stomach then it slipped inside his boxers and stroked him intimately. He groaned and called out her name. But suddenly, he remembered that Lala couldn't possibly be with him. He's in planet Deviluke now and she's on Earth. His eyes opened in alarm and through the dim light of the moon, he saw a familiar short pink haired girl with deep purple eyes. It's Lala's little sister, Momo Velia, the third princess of Deviluke and she's on his bed naked and her hand on his privates.

Embarrassed as hell, he backed away from her and put his boxers in place. "W-what are you doing here, Momo?!" he asked frantically.

Momo smiled sexily. "So were already on first name basis? I like that." She said before crawling towards him, her spade-shaped tail flicking from side to side.

The sight of her alluring figure made his body heat up in response. He looked away, gulping down nervously. This situation was too stimulating for his own good. "P-please Princess Momo, you can't stay in here. I-I'm engaged to your sister, remember?"

"Of course I remember." The third princess smiled mischievously as she sat in front of him in all her naked glory. "But didn't you know? A King can take many wives into his harem and I can be one of them." She said as she stroked his chest again teasingly.

Rito quickly captured her wrist and looked into her eyes. "Sorry, but I'm not the King so what you're asking of me is impossible." He said, careful not to let his eyes drift lower.

Momo chuckled. "No, it's not. You'll definitely become the King and I'll be the first in your harem." She said, then she leaned forward and nibbled his chin playfully.

Rito quickly let her go, hating himself for getting excited despite his good sense. He had to make her leave before he'd do something he might regret. Moreover, if the King gets wind of this, there was a big chance he'll get angry for the sake of his daughter. Of all things, he can't take that risk when he hadn't accomplished his goal yet.

"Please leave or I'll throw you out myself." He said again, keeping his voice even and authoritative.

At the threat, her eyebrow lifted in challenge. "Oh? You're going to throw me out? You'll dare subject me to such humiliation?" she said mockingly.

Her words put a crack in his mask of calmness. Of course, he wouldn't do such a thing because he is a gentleman and she's Lala's sister. "Don't worry. I'll dress you up properly and escort you back to your room. That way, there will be no humiliation." Rito replied, trying to sound casual about it.

Upon hearing his explanation, the third princess went into fits of laughter. She couldn't imagine how he would dress her up when he couldn't even gaze at her body with a straight face. "_How wonderfully naive he is_," she thought as she watched how he tried to keep his composure, despite his reddened ears.

"Ah, I give up. I guess it's still too early to seduce you." Momo said, brushing her hair with her hand. "Maybe after you ascend the throne, you'll be more open with this kind of… offer." She smirked, before retrieving her discarded emerald silk robe on the floor and putting it on.

Rito sighed in relief as she moved away. In his high school days, he was always caught up in these kinds of situations but this was the first erotic situation he'd been that's not a result of his usual clumsiness. As he is now, he doesn't know how to deal with an aggressive girl like her. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. This wasn't the time to dwell on his issues with the opposite sex.

"By the way, you still haven't told me why you came here, Princess Momo." He said.

Momo glanced from over her shoulder. "Call me Momo or I won't answer." She said pouting cutely, before tying the belt in a knot.

"Well then, uh, Momo, why did you come here in my room?" he asked again, slowly feeling uncomfortable again as the girl approached him again with that catlike grace.

She smiled sweetly. "Oh, I came to deliver a message." She said, before leaning towards him. "My father wants to speak with you during breakfast tomorrow so don't be late."

The mere mention of the King made him tense and his reaction was so visible, Momo couldn't help but laugh. "I'll tell you something good. Though my father doesn't look like it, he is quite fond of you, Rito." She winked, as if sharing a secret.

Rito looked dubious. The King likes him? It was unthinkable but it will be good if it were true. "Thanks for the message. I'll be there for sure." He said.

Unable to stop herself, Momo stroked his spiky orange hair gently. It felt soft to her touch and when she felt him shiver, she couldn't suppress a smile at how responsive he is.

"W-what are you doing, Momo?" he asked nervously, wishing she would move away so he could calm his nerves.

"Oh nothing~ I'm just thinking that I'll grow fond of you, too, Rito." Momo smiled then she kissed his cheek gently. "Good night." She whispered before she left his room, her tail swaying with her hips as she walked.

Rito stared at her retreating back dumbfounded with his hand covering the cheek that she kissed. Right there and then, he realized that maybe, just maybe, eroticism runs in the royal Devilukean blood. He swallowed nervously at the thought. It seems that he was in a different kind of danger that is more than what he bargained for.

* * *

><p><strong>AN** And that's the end of the second chapter! Yay! So, how was it? Don't forget to leave a review. (laughs)

By the way, I just want to clarify that in this fanfic Rito hasn't met Lala's sisters, Celine and the rest of the manga characters. I have only watched the 1st season of the anime series so I'm not very familiar with the rest of the gang and their latest interactions.

Anyway, what I did is read their character profiles and in my own way, I'll try my best not to make them too out of character. So look forward to the next chapters. Fufufu~

Thanks for reading! (waves)

**[Edit:]** Oh, if you're looking for Saki and her friends, well, they already graduated a year ago so at this moment they're unavailable, so to speak. And as for Oshizu... uhm, I don't want to spoil so just wait for them to appear okay? (smiles)


	3. At The Crossroads

**Chapter 3**

**At The Crossroads**

* * *

><p>Yui ran away from the Yuuki residence as fast as she could to calm herself and think. <em>"What the hell is this? Everything is out of order!",<em> she thought in confusion. She didn't know whether to be sad or angry about Rito's sudden departure. Today, she expected to have fun with her friends then she would volunteer to buy juice for everyone and drag Rito away under the pretense of needing his help to carry it all. After that, she would confess her feelings for him before returning to their small group, no matter what his answer may be.

That was how it was supposed to happen and she should be at peace now because she finally worked up the courage to be honest with her feelings before going to college. But no, Rito had to disappear before her plan was set into motion and she had to find out about his real thoughts through a gadget!

Suddenly, her foot slipped on a discarded can and she landed on her butt ungracefully, making her wince in pain. Unable to bear the pressure any longer, she stood up and shouted "Rito, you idiot!" before she kicked the can with all her might and it swerved towards the trash basket nearby, much to the amazement of the bystanders. She huffed heavily, relishing the momentary relief and the sense of triumph at her perfect aim.

"Wow, nice shot, as expected of my little sister!" A familiar voice from behind her commented, making her jump.

"O-onii-chan?!" she said as she turned in surprise. "W-What are you doing here?"

Yuu raised an eyebrow. "I should ask you the same question. I thought you're going to meet your friends at the mall? Don't tell me…" his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he studied her profile. Yui gulped nervously as she waited for the rest of his sentence. "You got lost?" he asked with a smile.

Yui blinked a few times before she blushed and exploded, "A-As if I am, stupid brother!"

Her fair haired brother chuckled at her delayed reaction. "Sorry, sorry. I was just joking." Yuu grinned, with his hand on his hip. "Anyway, you should hurry up and go to your meeting place." he reminded, glancing at his wristwatch briefly. "You can't miss this chance to confess to your beloved Rito-kun, right?" he raised his eyes, expecting to see her beet red face and her hands waving in denial but instead, he saw her angry and almost, tearful expression. "H-Hey-"

"It's too late. Even if I go there, I won't see him." she admitted, her hands clenched into fists. "That stupid Rito… he's already gone for good!" Tears fell from her eyes as she said those words and she felt angry at herself for being so affected. She knew from the start who Rito loved the most but snatching away the chance to stir his feelings, even if it's just a little, was too cruel of him. Trying to shake off her frustration, she paced in the middle of the sidewalk, unmindful of the curious stares around her.

"W-W-Wait! Hold up." Yui said, watching his sister walk back and forth in rising concern. "What do you mean gone? Did he… did he die?" he asked in a whisper.

"What?! No!" Yui exclaimed, as she stopped and reared her head towards him. "He just packed his bags and went to planet Deviluke! He wanted to become the number one man in the universe so he could marry Lala." Her voice caught in her throat at the mention of marriage. Ignoring the pang of jealousy in her heart, she resumed her agitated pacing. "Seriously, he should have stayed put today. He completely ruined my plan for a perfect closure!" she huffed indifferently.

"Eh~ I doubt about that." Yuu said, placing his arms behind his head. "Knowing you, you would have gotten tongue-tied at the last moment and then result to shouting angrily at him to hide your embarrassment." He laughed.

Yui clutched his collar threateningly, blushing at the realistic scenario he painted in her head. "Stop laughing already! Are you my ally or not?" she hissed.

He breathed, sobering a little. "Who knows?" her brother answered with a shrug. "So are you ready to give up yet? On Rito-kun, that is." he asked seriously.

"Huh? Give up?!" Yui pushed him away as if the suggestion itself repulsed her. "I can't do that! I know my feelings are unrequited but still, I want him to know so I can't give up yet!" she said fervently. "No matter what I-" her speech halted midway as an answer came to mind and her eyes widened in realization. That's right, the only way she could let him know (aside from waiting for his return) was by following him to planet Deviluke in person! After that, she would go back to Earth with her simple desire fulfilled. Her hand clutched her blouse as her heart thudded in excitement. Yes, this was something she had to do. It was too early to mope around when she hadn't done anything yet.

"Sorry, onii-chan. I-I have to go now! Bye!" Yui hastily turned on her heels and ran but after a few paces, she looked back and shouted, "Nii-chan! Don't go on another women hunting spree, okay?" she waved her hand and continue on her way.

"She's kidding. She's kidding." Yuu said with a smile as the women nearby avoided him.

He scratched his head in wonder of his sister's swift mood changes. "Women." He said in exasperation, then stared at her retreating figure with a fond smile. Personally, he didn't want her to be hurt but this was something his sister decided to do so all he could do was watch over her and let her experience life at her own pace. _With this, she would have no regrets and still have the will to move forward, _he thought.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Yuu whistled happily as he walked on the other direction to meet his current girlfriend, Akiho. He decided just now to tell her what he had learned about Rito because her sister Haruna might come to the same conclusion as Yui.

* * *

><p>Upon exiting the gates, Yami turned to Saruyama and the gang and bowed her head in farewell. Before she could turn away, Saruyama said aloud, "Wait! I thought you're going to eat with us."<p>

The girl shook her head in response. "It's out of the question. I have something to do." She said in her usual serious tone then she jumped up the roof before Saruyama could persuade her otherwise. Later, once she was in a secure location with a bag of her favorite taiyaki in hand, she fished her mobile phone out of her pocket to make an urgent call.

After saying the precautionary password, she was patched into a secure line and she said, "It's me, Golden Darkness. I want you to do something for me."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, as per Mio's suggestion, they went to her workplace to think about Rito's sudden departure over free cakes and iced tea. The manager greeted them in welcome and one of Mio's fellow waitresses led them to a secluded corner of the café and took their order. Neither of them said a word until their snacks arrived and the waitress was out of earshot.<p>

"So… what do you guys think about Rito's decision?" Mio asked with barely contained excitement. "I think it's very romantic of him!"

"Romantic?" Ren snorted. "Call it selfish. How dare leave my princess behind and make her cry? It's- it's unforgivable!"

"Yeah, yeah." Risa took a piece of cake into her mouth. "But I recall you were almost on the verge of tears yourself." she said, pointing the fork towards him.

"Ha?! No, I'm not!" Ren denied hotly. "A manly guy like me would never-"

Risa waved her hand dismissively. "Deny it all you want but I'm sure his words touched you." She coughed and said in her imitation of Ren's voice, "_Just wait and see, Rito. We'll make you regret saying that!_ Sounds familiar, eh?" she smiled slyly.

Refusing to admit it, Ren drank his iced tea and pointedly looked away. He cursed himself for letting that guy needle him into answering his challenge though it was only a recording. He should have nodded and remained unfazed but instead he spouted things that made it seem like he wanted to please him. Damn it.

"Now, now. play nice you two." Mio said as Risa snickered and took another bite of cake. "How about you, Saruyama? What are your thoughts?" she asked, while adjusting her round rimmed glasses.

Saruyama looked up from the cake he was gobbling up fast. "Oh, well, I think that guy has finally grown up." He cut a small piece, circled it around his plate to get more icing and popped it into his mouth. "I think this is the first time he took a stand for something he wanted for himself." He gulped down his iced tea and gave a satisfied sigh. "I'm happy for him but I'm also kinda jealous. He's out there having a grand quest on his own while I…" he shook his head. "Seriously, that guy is really… unfair." He admitted with a hint of sadness in his voice.

He thought he was done feeling insecure and jealous of his best friend but that wasn't the case. When they graduated from high school, he had decided to become a better and more successful man than Rito but how can he measure up to his best friend embarking on a journey to be the future King of the universe?

"_Damn it, you set the bar too high, Rito you bastard!"_ Saruyama thought in frustration. Finally, he noticed the hand waving in front of his face and brought him back to his senses. He looked around and saw his companions' worried faces. "Ah, sorry, you guys had to hear that. Forget about it! I'm just rambling that's all!" He laughed awkwardly then he raised the glass to call the attention of a nearby waitress for another drink.

"I-It's all right, Saruyama-kun! I understand because actually I-I'm jealous, too!" Mio confessed, her hands clasped in front of her. "I'm jealous because Yuuki will see different worlds that are beyond our imagination! He will taste diverse delicacies, wear an array of costumes, fondle female breasts of different races..." she said while flexing her hands excitedly. "Oh! Oh! Can you imagine it, Risa?" she turned towards her best friend with sparkling eyes.

"Totally!" Risa replied in the same vein. "It's a vast universe out there so breasts would vary for sure!"

The girls chattered about the breasts they have fondled so far in full detail and exchanged theories of how different breasts in outer space could be. Saruyama eventually joined in the conversation to take his mind off the ugly feelings in his heart.

Meanwhile, Ren covered his face in shame with his hand. He didn't know how their talk about jealousy took the turn for the worst. More than anything, he wanted to leave and pretend not to know any of them but unfortunately, he was stuck by the window. He could slip under the table but his pride won't let him. Damned manly pride.

Carefully, he sneaked a peek between his fingers and saw the increasing number of heads turning towards their table. He cleared his throat deliberately twice, hoping his companions would take the hint. But when both attempts went unnoticed, he finally lost his temper and hit his hand against the table. "Can you please stop talking about vulgar things in public?!" he exploded.

The trio took note of the Memorzian prince's flustered expression and then, burst out laughing. "Ah, you should see your face, Ren-kun. Priceless!" Risa breathed, wiping away her tears from laughing too much. Realizing that he had been played, Ren crossed his arms in annoyance and glared at them. He couldn't believe the nerve of these earthlings to subject him to such awkwardness.

"Sorry, Ren-kun. We got carried away." Mio said, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"You should have join in, too, you know." Saruyama said, nudging Ren with his elbow. "It's normal for guys like us to talk about vulgar things, right?"

"Not at all." Risa countered, waving her hand dismissively. "Only perverts do that, Saruyama."

"Hey! I thought you're on my side." Saruyama whined which brought the girls into another fit of laughter and Ren managed a small smile at their silliness.

As things settled down, the trio leaned back in their cushioned seats and stared at the ceiling. "You know… I think it would be great if we could have a grand adventure like Yuuki, neh?" Risa said dreamily, as she stared at her outstretched hand above her head. Ever since she got to know the existence of other worlds, she began to yearn for more than just an ordinary life for herself. But as she is now, it's just an impossible dream.

"Yeah…" Mio and Saruyama said in agreement.

Ren sighed as the silence stretched on and the trio got lost in their own depressing thoughts. "Argh! You guys are hopeless! If you want it that badly then you can come to my planet." He offered casually. As soon as the words left his lips, the trio froze and slowly faced the Memorzian prince gawping.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Ren asked, feeling uncomfortable under their intense stares.

Risa was the first one to recover. "Sorry. I just remembered you're also an alien." She said, the sparkle in her eyes returning.

"Me, too. I was so used to having you around that I forgot as well." Saruyama agreed.

"Well, I remembered but I didn't expect you'd make such an offer to us, Ren-kun." Mio said in wonder.

"You guys…" Ren looked away, miffed at their low opinion of him. "F-Forget I asked then! You- you forgetful humans!"

"No! No! We'll go with you!" the trio grabbed onto him and pleaded repeatedly until Ren gave in because they were making a scene in the café again. At his assent, the trio shouted in glee and started to bombard Ren with questions about his planet's society, culture and also about his family. Then after deciding on the departure time and place, the trio went home to pack their things and felt excited with the prospect of facing a new path together. Ren, on the other hand, ran a final system check on his spaceship before he went to sleep to chat with his twin sister Run within his subconscious about Rito's message for her and about tomorrow's departure plans.

* * *

><p>Before exiting the grocery store, Oshizu looked from left to right for any dogs. Seeing none, she stepped out of the store and walked down the road with a bag of groceries in hand. Mikado-sensei had been in the operating room since that morning and as the new assistant, Oshizu decided to buy some snacks and cup noodles for the doctor to eat once she comes out of room. Actually, she would like to prepare a rice meal for lunch but the cooking gadgets in the doctor's kitchen looked far too complex to use. For now, she could only make hot water pour down a cup with just a push of a button.<p>

"_I wish I could cook wonderful meals for sensei someday."_ She thought with a sigh. After all, she owed the doctor for making her an artificial body and gave her the chance to live and feel like a normal human on earth. Being an assistant was great, too, because she could wear a white lab gown over any dress and it could hide her exposed legs and arms well much like her old white kimono.

Distracted with her own thoughts, she bumped into someone's shoulder by accident. "Ah, sorry." She apologized but the figure simply walked on. Confused, she looked back and recognized who it was. "Haruna-chan!" she called but the girl didn't seem to have heard her. So instead, the ghost girl ran ahead of Haruna and let out a loud "Boo!" and caused the blue-haired girl to scream and land on her butt.

"Hello, Haruna-chan!" Oshizu smiled and offered her hand to help the bemused girl up.

"Mou, Oshizu-chan. You scared me." Haruna said then she grabbed onto the girl's hand and patted the dirt off her skirt.

"Sorry. You were spacing out so I did what I do best: scare people." She chuckled behind her sleeve. "Anyway, it's unlike you to space out, Haruna-chan. Is something wrong?"

Haruna raised her eyes and saw her friend patiently waiting for her answer. Right then, she felt that she could confide in her because Oshizu had always looked out for her and supported her feelings for Rito. "Uhm, Oshizu-chan, may I talk to you for a bit?" she asked hesitantly.

The ghost girl's face brightened up but before she could say yes, her wristwatch beeped a few times. "Excuse me." Oshizu said then she rolled up her right sleeve and pushed a button to connect the call. The two girls leaned closer and soon, Mikado-sensei's voice was heard.

"Oshizu, come back to the clinic right now. It's an emergency." The doctor said then they heard crashing noises on the background before the line was cut off.

"Uwaa, sensei's in trouble! What should I do now?" Oshizu panicked, looking from Haruna and then her wristwatch.

Haruna raised her palms to pacify her friend. "It's fine, Oshizu-chan. You can go on ahead and-"

The ghost girl shook her head vehemently and said, "No! I can't just leave you. You need my help, too, so that's why- that's why- ummm…" she tried to think of a solution but her rising panic prevented her from thinking straight. All she knew was that her mentor and her friend are equally important to her.

The short-haired girl smiled and took her friend's hands in hers to calm her down. "Hey, how about we go to Mikado-sensei's clinic first and then, we'll talk. Is that okay with you?" she suggested, giving her hands a light squeeze.

The solution made perfect sense and Oshizu found herself nodding in agreement with a thankful smile. She never really liked the idea of choosing between the two important people in her life, she thought.

"Let's go." Oshizu said then together, they rushed back to the underground clinic only known to a few trustworthy extraterrestrials and humans acquainted with Mikado-sensei.

Upon arrival, the light above the operating room indicated that a procedure was still ongoing and sure enough, they heard another crashing noise behind the operating room door. Cautiously, they called out for the doctor before they opened double doors slightly and peeked inside the room. There, they saw a huge murky green octopus with black beady eyes, a spiral-shaped siphon and an inverted 'A' with a dot on each side embossed on its forehead (or mantle). It sat atop the operating table with its four tentacles attached to a machine via tubes while the other half destroyed the nearby equipments and spread the pea green slime oozing from its pores around the room as the patient wiggled and groaned in pain.

"Finally, you're here!" They heard the doctor say before blocking their view inside the room. "Oh! Hello, Haruna. I didn't know you were coming. Anyway, it's kind of dangerous in here with all the scalpels and tools flying around so just stay put. Oshizu, get out of your body and help me restrain the other tentacles with your powers."

"Right away, sensei." Oshizu answered then, she closed her eyes and promptly left her body to assist the doctor in her spirit form. "Take care of my body for me." She said to Haruna before she slipped through the door and hovered beside her mentor.

Haruna watched in trepidation as Oshizu pointed her arms towards the unruly tentacles and succeeded to restrain its movements by some invisible force. All at once, Mikado-sensei manipulated a robot to attach tubes on each protruded pore underneath the tentacles. The octopus bellowed as the tubes sucked out more slime from its pores. It tried to free itself and Oshizu tried her best to maintain her hold, however, the mental strain was too much and before the last tentacle could be attended to, her control collapsed and the last tentacle smashed the robot to pieces.

"Tsk. That's the last of my robots." Mikado-sensei mumbled. "Are you okay, Oshizu?"

"Yes." Oshizu said weakly, massaging her temples. "I'm sorry for losing my hold, sensei. I'll try again in a short while."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it," replied the redhead doctor.

Oshizu's smile disappeared when her gaze went past the doctor and saw Haruna moving towards them. "Stop, Haruna-chan! You can't be in here. It's too dangerous!" Oshizu said in alarm as she flew to her.

"I know but I want to ask Mikado-sensei some questions." Haruna said.

"Now?" she squeaked. The short-haired girl nodded and Oshizu had no choice but to relent and keep a watchful eye on the patient's movements.

"Mikado-sensei, why is the patient conscious? Can't you just put her to sleep?" Haruna asked in a whisper as she stood beside the doctor.

The female doctor shook her head. "Sorry but it can't be done. In a sleep state, an Agualion's body becomes impenetrable and even those protrusions under her tentacles disappear." The redhead explained. "Hence, she has to be conscious all throughout the procedure."

Haruna frowned. "Then what about painkillers? The patient has been groaning in pain for a while now." she said in concern.

"I have injected it into her system but it seems the poison in her body is countering its effect." She sighed. "I'm afraid that if she continues to delay removing the poison from her system, she'll remain in constant pain and die from it."

Haruna stared at the helpless creature and noticed its free tentacle flicking weakly and its black round eyes glistening with tears. Her heart went out for the creature but she didn't have the psychic ability to restrain it like Oshizu or any healing power. Nevertheless, she wanted to help ease its pain. She closed her eyes and pondered on the situation. _"If Rito is here, what would he do?"_ She thought then after a few heartbeats, she opened her eyes with her mind made up.

With her gaze fixed on the suffering patient, she asked, "Neh, sensei. What's her name?"

"Well, according to the one who brought her here, it's-" Mikado-sensei perused the chart for the information. "It's Aleschka from planet Agualion."

With that, Haruna approached the ailing patient and almost immediately, the octopus' beady eyes locked on her with its free tentacle posed threateningly as she got closer and closer. The sight of its intimidating figure sent a shiver of fear running down her spine and made her steps falter. Though she had encountered extraterrestrials before, this was the first time she purposely approached one. Doing this was dangerous, she knew that much but she couldn't ignore the hurt in the creature's eyes so she pressed on with bated breath. _"Rito, please give me courage." _She thought.

"Calm down, Aleschka-san. I mean you no harm." She tried to assure the patient but once she walked within range, the octopus snatched her up by the waist with its slick tentacle and lifted her off to the ground.

"Haruna-chan!" Oshizu exclaimed in alarm. She raised her arms to release her power however Mikado-sensei stopped her and told her to wait a little longer. Reluctantly, the ghost girl stood down and kept her guard up in case the situation got out of hand.

"What are you doing here, human?" Haruna heard a slightly guttural voice in her head. "Have you come here to kill me as well?" it asked before tightening her grip on the girl's body.

Haruna struggled to breathe. "No! You're wrong!" Haruna thought in earnest, hoping the creature would understand. "I want to help you, Aleschka-san!"

"Help me?" Haruna heard the patient cackle inside her head. "Liar! Humans don't help! They murder and destroy anything in their path! The likes of you- the likes of you-!"

Just then, Haruna gave an openmouthed gasp as Aleschka's memories flowed into her consciousness. There she saw the flashes of cruelties man had inflicted against sea creatures, including their relentless dumping of chemical wastes in the ocean. She heard the cries of anguish unknown to man and felt the pain, anger and frustration of the patient as if it were her own. Aleschka wanted to put an end to it, however, as she was bound by the intergalactic rule of staying a mere spectator on Earth, she had no choice but to let the vile criminals get away and to watch the primitive versions of her people in Agualion die around her.

Through the alien's eyes, she understood that Aleschka wanted to save the ocean by filtering the contaminated water with her own body. In time, this practice finally taken its toll and as the poison raked her body and rendered her body useless, her anger for humans and for her own helplessness intensified.

Tears fell from her eyes unnoticed, forgetting about her own predicament. "I'm sorry, Aleschka-san." Haruna thought repeatedly as she sobbed uncontrollably. She had heard that such things were happening through the news but it shocked her to see just how cruel humans could be with her own eyes. Her heart cried out for the poor, helpless creatures that humans believed to have neither voice nor feelings. She couldn't blame Aleschka in harboring hatred for her race; her desire to get even was justified. But she couldn't let the alien to suffer a painful death when all she did was protect the oceans she love so much- oceans that human had taken for granted for so many years.

"Aleschka-san, please don't let yourself fall victim to the poison and live! Aren't you dissatisfied that those evildoers are still out there?" Haruna pleaded.

Seeing the girl's genuine feelings through their telepathic connection, the alien loosened her hold a little. "Why are you asking me to live?" she asked, her beady eyes studying the human girl in her arm closely. "Aren't I your enemy?"

Haruna opened her eyes and stared directly at Aleschka's eyes. "No, you're not. Actually, I admire you for holding back for so many years. Despite your anger, you never raised a hand against my people and instead protected the waters on your own. You're amazing, Aleschka-san. That's why I want you to live longer."

"But it hurts." she whined piteously.

"I believe you can bear with it, Aleschka-san." Haruna smiled, her words strong and sure in her head. "Don't worry, I'll be here with you and we can talk about your ocean friends."

Something stirred behind the unblinking eyes of Aleschka and soon, she placed Haruna back on the floor gently. The girl staggered a little but she managed to keep her balance. "What's your name, brave human child?" Aleschka asked in a gentle voice.

"I'm Haruna. Haruna Sairenji."

"Haruna, I'm ready for my treatment now." Aleschka said then she stretched her free tentacle alongside her other arms. At her submission, Haruna turned to Mikado-sensei and gave her a thumbs-up. Her signal made the two sigh in relief when the five minutes of tense waiting in silence ended without further incident. Working rapidly, the doctor and Oshizu attached the tubes manually while Haruna continued to communicate with the patient soothingly in her mind.

Later that day, after the poison was removed and Aleschka returned to her healthy, translucent appearance, Mikado-sensei moved her to one of the rooms to recuperate and to monitor her condition. As the door closed behind them, Haruna dropped down on her knees, overcome with relief.

"Wah! Haruna-chan, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Oshizu asked frantically as she rushed to her side.

Haruna smiled wryly. "I'm okay, Oshizu-chan. I'm just hungry and-" she looked down on her slime-covered clothes and crinkled her nose. "… sticky."

Oshizu chuckled. "Come on. You need a bath, young lady." Then she took Haruna's arm over her shoulders and helped her out of the clinic and into the bathroom with an immense claw-footed bathtub. As Oshizu filled the tub with lukewarm lavender-scented water, Haruna shimmied out of her sticky clothes.

"I'll take that." Oshizu said, taking her dirty laundry from her hands. "Now get in the tub while I wash your clothes. I'll be right back."

With a fond smile, Haruna watched her scamper out of the room before she settled into the bathtub, closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Her muscles relaxed as the aroma of lavender filled her senses. It felt so good to just lie there and not think about anything. Soon, Oshizu appeared and offered to help Haruna wash her hair and back, with which the other girl accepted thankfully. They talked about the visions Aleschka showed and exchanged ideas on its causes and possible solutions.

"By the way, I'm also amazed at the extent of Mikado-sensei's connections here on earth." Oshizu commented, as she scrubbed Haruna's shoulders gently with a soft mesh. "I never thought she had acquaintances in the government. Did you?"

"I had no idea." She replied honestly. "Anyway, I'm glad because now Aleschka-san can work with the government to catch the abusers of the ocean. I think she'll love her new job." The image of Aleschka placing locators on unknowing ships like a secret agent brought a smile to her face. "Yup, she'll love it for sure."

Oshizu smiled, happy to see her friend was back to her usual self. Though, she wanted to let this good mood to last, they still had something important to discuss. Clearing her throat, she tried to change the subject. "Say, Haruna-chan. You said you wanted to talk to me earlier. If you're ready now, I'm ready to listen." She prodded gently.

Her smile faded into a serious expression as she remembered her dilemma. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and told Oshizu everything from Rito's departure to planet Deviluke up to Lala's invitation to follow him to space. Oshizu listened to every detail of the story and found herself increasingly confused at Haruna's indecisiveness. She had known of Haruna's not-so-secret love for the tangerine-haired boy and even cheered her on. "_Their feelings are mutual so isn't it natural to follow your heart in this situation?"_ she wondered.

"I see, so that's what happened." Oshizu said, as Haruna fell silent. "So… what's stopping you from accepting Lala-san's invitation? I mean, I expected you'd take it right away since Rito-kun likes you and Lala-san approves of your feelings for him."

Haruna averted her gaze, fiddling her thumbs nervously. "Well… Planet Deviluke is a faraway and an unknown land to me. I'm not confident I could make a living there because all I've known until now is how to survive here on Earth. What if I become a burden instead? What if I fail to support Yuuki-kun? I'm not like a genius like Lala-san. I'm just… an ordinary human."

The ghost girl noticed Haruna's hunched shoulders, clearly showing her lack of self-confidence. She let out a deep sigh. "Hey, Rito-kun is also an ordinary human but look at him- he dared to leave Earth in order to change himself." Oshizu pointed out. "That's proof enough that being a human can't limit your potential."

When Haruna continued to look unconvinced, Oshizu held her clasped hands. "Look at me, Haruna-chan." She implored. Honest blue irises met her wary blue ones. "I'm sorry to be harsh but you have to stop doubting yourself like this! It won't do you any good. I know you're feeling scared but I see a lot of spirit in you. You're braver than you think. You just faced a threatening alien today, remember?" Oshizu smiled encouragingly. "We all know you're a great girl, Haruna-chan and I'm sure Rito-kun would love to have you by his side."

"But what if I fail him?" she whispered.

"Will you give up _if_ ever that happens?" Oshizu countered quickly. At that, Haruna shook her head with tears clogging her throat. She realized that even if she failed or made mistakes, she would never give up. Rito taught her that and a whole lot more. All at once, a feeling of peace settled on her whole being and she knew she had found her answer.

"Thank you, Oshizu-chan." Haruna faced her, with the usual sparkle in her eyes. "I've decided, I'm going with Lala-san to planet Deviluke." With this, the two girls hugged each other and parted laughing as they started to imagine Rito's reaction when he finds out everyone he dedicated the video message to would follow him to Deviluke.

* * *

><p>Sudden beeping noises awaken Rito with a start. He looked about the room groggily. He could have sworn he heard beeping noises but now, it was gone. Thinking it was only his imagination, he plopped back down his bed to continue his slumber. As soon as his head hit the pillows, a flying screen beeped loudly before his face, jolting him into wakefulness. "Ow!" he groaned, as his forehead hit the screen in his shock. Blinking away the tears, he squinted at the contraption quizzically. "What do you want?" he asked as it continued to beep and hover before him.<p>

The device simply flashed a red button on its green screen repeatedly. Seeing no other option, Rito pressed the button and watched as Zastin appeared on the screen.

"Good morning, Muko-dono." Zastin greeted politely. "I took the liberty of setting an alarm clock for you since time here in Deviluke is different from Earth. I am also hoping that during our stay here, you'd still continue with your morning exercises. After all, this is an opportune moment for you to keep your strength up." He smiled. "A servant is stationed outside your quarters to take you to the nearest training room or if you prefer a scenic view, try one of the gardens. After that, I'll help with your preparations before joining the King for breakfast today at 0700 hours. That is all. Good day, Muko-dono." He bowed with his hand over his chest then vanished from the screen.

Before the screen fell, Rito caught it between his hands and saw the Devilukean time indicating 4:00am. With a quick calculation, he had at least three hours to spare before seeing the King. The thought of meeting Lala's dad again brought back a familiar sense of apprehension. For one, he didn't know what to expect about his training with the King. Hell, he even uttered such bold words during their last conversation. And two, well, their father was scary beyond all reason.

With a grunt, he quickly got off his bed to follow Zastin's advice and work off his growing nervousness. Despite Momo's reassurance last night, he still feared of letting the King down or something.

"Argh! This isn't the time to doubt myself." He said aloud to convince himself then he proceeded to change into his exercise attire- a lime green sweatshirt, black jogging pants and rubber shoes. After strapping the weights on his wrists and ankles, he picked up his sword and slung a small knapsack on his back containing his water bottle, face towel and other essentials.

The moment Rito opened his bedroom door, an attendant was there just as Zastin said and he appeared to be eager to escort him anywhere. Considering that he wanted to relax his nerves, Rito asked him to lead him to the vast landscape garden below the balcony of his room.

"Right this way, my prince."

The attendant led him through a ridiculous number of hallways and stairs before they emerged at their destination. "Is there anything else I could do for you, my prince?" he asked.

"Err, I'm fine for now. Thank you!" Rito said with a smile.

After the attendant left, Rito scratched his head in wonder. He found that living in a castle and having people at his beck and call would take some getting used to. Squaring his shoulders, he turned around and marveled at the lush garden before his eyes.

Rows of trees with multicolored trunks bordered the whole area and at the center of the garden was a Grecian inspired gazebo with its marble pillars, stairs and gold trappings. Well trimmed bushes with colorful little flowers were planted at its base and a moat surrounded it, making it seem like a separate island of some sort. Then on each side of this canopy, fountains stood a few feet away. Apart from letting out jets of water, colorful firefly-like lights flit through the air. To say that the place took his breath away was an understatement. It was, by far, the most exquisite garden he had ever seen in his entire life. It was nothing compared to the park garden in their neighborhood or the ones they visited during their field trips back on Earth.

Eager to get started, Rito strode towards the gazebo, climbed its steps and placed his knapsack on the bench. Rummaging through his bag, he found the hair tie with a red flower design, gathered his front bangs and tied it up neatly. His sister gave the hair tie as a joke but when he discovered it helps keep his hair out of his eyes while exercising, he decided to use it often. He looked ridiculous in it, even Mikan said so, but he got over being embarrassed and just enjoyed the sight of the confused faces he passed by in their neighborhood.

Done with his preparations, he got down the steps and did some stretching and a number of jumping jacks and push-ups while carrying his sword. It felt a bit weird doing it out in the open because back on earth, he couldn't do so without exposing his secret training or getting arrested. As he worked up a sweat, he became more energized as he felt the weight of his sword. Zastin instructed him to learn to become one with his sword and at that moment, he felt it strongly. Later, he carried his sword over his shoulders like a foot soldier and ran laps along the Olympic-sized oval pathway around the garden's perimeter.

The cool wind swooshed past his cheeks as he panted for breath. Sweat dripped down the side of his face and his back, his heart pounding with the effort. Yet, he pressed forward eagerly with a smile on his face. Running always gave him a certain thrill that he could go anywhere on his own two feet. Upon reaching the end of his fifth lap, he slowed into a jog for the final lap before he stopped for some cool down exercises.

"Hah!" Rito exhaled with his hands on his hips one last time. Satisfied with today's work out, he clutched his sword and made his way back to his things. _"I could stay here all day."_ Rito thought as he sat down and stared at the garden in contentment as sunlight slowly illuminated the place. While he brought the water bottle to his lips, a rustle in the bushes below caught his attention. With his senses alert, he waited for a few seconds and the rustling noise came again.

Zastin warned him not to let his guard down especially now that he was introduced as the future prince consort. Silently, he unsheathed his sword, got down the steps and watched the bushes for any sign of movement. Among the little flower buds, he noticed a huge pink flower with yellow pollen, quivering.

Scooping water from the moat, he splashed it over the flower to force it to reveal itself. He backed away as the flower shook violently and jumped out, revealing a little girl with long light green hair. He prepared for an attack but the child simply whimpered and tried to get the water off her eyes but the dirt in her hands made it worse. She was soaked through her dress and her cheeks were caked with dirt. Taking pity on the girl, Rito stuck the sword on the ground and ran back up the gazebo to get his knapsack.

"Here, let me help." Rito said then he gently wiped off the dirt from the girl's face with his face towel. "Look up." He instructed as the child continued to squint her eyes. When she appeared not to understand his words, he tilted her chin up and pointed upwards. With a nod, she looked up and Rito dropped a few droplets of water into her blue eyes to clear away the dirt and then wiped away the excess water.

"I'm really sorry. I thought you were- uh- somebody else." Rito said as he washed away the dirt in her hands. He continued to talk in that soothing voice to put the girl at ease with a stranger like him. Luckily, the child didn't seem alarmed and just watched him curiously as he took care of her and mumbled words she couldn't comprehend.

"There! All done." Rito declared. The child made no response and remained gazing at him. "What is it? Is there something on my face?" he asked, awkwardly touching his face but still, nothing. He scratched the back of his head in thought then he noticed her eyes move. Experimentally, he shook his head from side to side and as expected her eyes followed his movement. "Oh, I see. Is this why you're staring at me?" he said, pointing at his hair clip. "You're thinking it's weird on me, don't you?"

Before the child could react, Rito sensed an attack from behind and he swiftly scooped the child into his arms and dodged to the right. Something crashed into the bushes and from the top of the child's head, he saw a huge blade attached to braided red hair and it's trying to break free from the bushes. At that split second, he realized an assassin of Yami's caliber was present nearby.

_"My sword-"_ His eyes searched for his weapon and saw it lying on the ground near the enemy's blade. _"Tsk. I shouldn't have let it go."_ He thought, blaming his usual carelessness. His attention snapped back to the child as she whimpered in his arms, her blue eyes wide with fear. _"My sword can wait. This child's safety is my priority."_ He resolved.

Rito smiled down at the child to calm her down. "Hang on to me, okay?" he whispered, hugging the child closer. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

As the blade dislodged from the bushes and attacked again, Rito avoided it the second time and made a run towards the grove of trees. Keeping his eyes on the approaching blade, he ducked the moment it struck and it got caught in the multicolored tree trunk before him. Taking this opportunity, Rito ran deep into the woods and hid the little girl behind the first row of thick bushes he saw.

"Stay here. I'll be right back, okay?" Rito patted her head gently before he took off in the opposite direction. He zigzagged his way through the trees, feeling an ominous presence chasing him from behind but at the last turn, the blade appeared in front of him and grazed his left arm. If he were a second too late, it would have stabbed his chest.

"Damn it." he muttered under his breath, leaning against another tree. Being unarmed had him at a disadvantage in this area. He had to get his sword but getting it would mean leaving himself exposed. One wrong move and it was over for him. Mentally shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks and took a deep breath. _"I can do this!"_ He thought positively. Fixing his gaze on where his sword was, he positioned himself and then, he raced towards the base of the gazebo.

The moment he stepped into the clearing, a spiked cannonball attacked him insistently, leaving holes in the grassy ground as Rito dodged and stayed nimbly on his feet. Thanks to Yami's constant attempts on his life, his body became accustomed to evading long-range attacks.

Finally, grabbing the hilt of his sword, he swiveled around and moved to confront his shadowed opponent. Considering the trajectory of the attacks, his enemy would be hidden in a high place. The cannonball charged towards him and at the precise moment, Rito jumped up as it hit the ground and crossed the length of hair like some sort of aerialist. As Rito came close to the hidden figure up the tree, he let out a battle cry and jumped to strike down the enemy with his sword but his opponent- a girl with short red hair and violet eyes- countered his attack with her arm-turned-blade easily.

"Not bad at all, Rito-sama." she said with a smile. Rito couldn't stay in the air for long after that attack, so he swiftly kicked the girl in the stomach and used the momentum to back flip and land safely on the ground below.

"Kicking a girl in the gut isn't gentlemanly, you know." the girl tutted but Rito ignored her jibe and resumed a fighting stance. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" he demanded, staring at the girl in the black gothic garb defiantly.

The redhead girl chuckled at his show of spirit and jumped down from the tree, her hair retracting back to its normal braid. Apart from body transformation, this girl's attire was somewhat similar to Yami's but instead of a skirt, she wore shorts and her top had a hood on it with the exact star-shaped gap symbol on her chest.

He swallowed hard, thinking that if this girl was similar to Yami then he couldn't be careless or he would lose his life right there and then. He tightened his grip on his sword and his shone with a determined glint. _"I can't die just yet."_ He thought, clenching his jaw.

The assassin eyed him with interest while savoring the candy in her mouth. "You really can't relax, can you?" she smiled, running her fingertips across the blade as it changed into a sword. "If you want answers that badly then you better keep up with me, my prince."

Her boot tapped the ground before she disappeared in a blur and Rito raised his sword just in time to deflect her first blow. His heels dug into the ground, a gust of air erupted from the impact. "How wonderful. You're not as weak as I thought." her tongue flicked over her lips excitedly, before she backed away and swung her sword repeatedly against his.

Rito met her with equal vigor, not wanting to give her a slight advantage. The sound of metal clashing and panting breaths filled the space between them in their deadly dance of swords. However, the more they exchanged blows, the more he became aware of the lack of blood lust in her sword. It almost felt like he was sparring with Zastin and not fighting to the death like he expected. Just then, he stepped on a stone and lost his footing for a second. "Shit." He cursed and as if by slow motion, he saw the girl smile slightly with her arm raised to deliver a fatal blow he couldn't avoid.

"That's enough!" a shout ripped through the air and a wall of vines emerged from the ground between the two fighters. Rito was pushed backwards and began rolling on the grassy ground with his arms shielding his face. He was breathing heavily once he came to a stop. He couldn't tell whether the timing of it was fortunate or not because it might be a second assassin.

Cautiously, he raised his head and saw a pair of black boots before him. His gaze traveled upwards and recognized it was Momo dressed in a black and green halter dress. He opened his mouth to say something but her quick glare shut him up. So instead, he got on his feet, patted the dirt away from his clothes and watched his sister-in-law confront his attacker.

The girl's arm returned to normal and she schooled her face to that of surprise. "Oh, good morning, Princess Momo." she greeted the approaching princess with a deep curtsy. "It's a great honor to have you join us today…" her voice faltered as Momo's right fang protruded from her lips and her purple eyes contracted to slits.

"What's the meaning of this Mea?" Momo asked in a quiet, deadly voice. "Have you finally succumbed to your true nature?"

Mea shook her head in denial. "Not at all, Princess Momo. I was just curious about him, that's all." She replied, smiling innocently.

"Then keep your curiosity in check! Your attack on Rito is tantamount to treason." Momo snapped. "If you pull a stunt like this again, I'll be your opponent and I assure you, even though you're Nana's personal bodyguard, I won't hesitate to kill you." She threatened, the vines in the ground moved ominously for effect.

Her blood lust gave Rito goose bumps but Mea stood her ground, seemingly unperturbed. "Hmm~ that won't be good. I really love my job right now." she said thoughtfully. "Please pardon my rudeness, Princess Momo. I won't do it again."

After a few tense seconds, the third princess let out a tired sigh. "Don't tell me. Tell that to him." Momo entered numbers into her D-Dial then her vines retreated back into the ground. "Don't forget to clean up this mess you made."

"Yes~" Mea said then she jumped and landed before Rito with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, my prince. I won't attack you out of nowhere ever again." She extended her hand. "Can we still be friends?"

"Ah, of course." Rito clasped her offered hand, accepting her offer of friendship since Mea was a personal bodyguard like Zastin. "I hope we could spar like this again someday. You're a worthy opponent, just like someone I know." he said then his eyes turned gentle at the thought of Yami.

Mea caught that look on his face and instinctively, her hands pulled him closer and she kissed him passionately. For a moment, Rito was too shocked to even react and just felt her tongue push something down his throat. "Guh?!" he pulled away and stared at her with a terrified expression. "What did you-"

The redhead flicked his forehead to cut him off. "Don't look like that. It's just candy." She smirked at his bemused expression. Slowly, her finger traced the line of his jaw then over his lips. "I hope you like the taste. It's the best there is here in Deviluke." The light tap on his lips sent a jolt of awareness through his body. He blushed to the tips of his ears at the double entendre of her words. So, to maintain a little dignity, he averted his gaze and tried not to think about the sweet taste lingering in his mouth.

"See you later, my prince." Mea blew him a kiss before she left the garden jumping away. Once she was out of sight, Rito turned to deal with Momo and he drew up short because there she was standing with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows drawn together in silent accusation.

"You natural flirt." She said, enunciating every word.

"Huh?" He gaped at her words. "Wh-what the hell did I do?!"

"I took my eyes off you for one moment and you find yourself with another girl." The princess said as she poked his chest deliberately with each word.

"I-It's not like that!" he denied hotly.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Really? But all throughout the fight you were watching her every move-"

"T-That's because I didn't want to get killed!" Rito reasoned out but she continued her tirade as if he never interrupted.

"-and you even kissed her in my presence."

"It was forced I tell you!"

"Ah~ even though you already have Lala-nee-sama-" she shook her head in disbelief.

At the mention of Lala, he completely lost his cool. "Like I said, it's not like that at all!" he shouted desperately. His words echoed in the stillness of the garden. _"Oh crap! I shouted at her. What should I-"_ He raised his head and saw Momo stare at him for a few more seconds before bursting into a laughing fit.

He stood there, flushed and indignant. He felt like a fool for always falling for that same conversational trap. Silently, he watched the third princess laugh gaily at his expense. _"Oh well. At least she's having fun."_ He thought wryly before he turned away to retrieve his things.

Momo sobered up a bit. "Hey Rito, wait up!" she said, chasing after him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. It's just that you scared me today so that's my revenge." she explained in a matter-of-factly tone.

"It's fine. I'm not angry anyway." He tightened the knot and slung the knapsack over his shoulder. "Actually, thank you for stepping in like that. If you hadn't, I'd have more than just this graze in my arm."

Momo froze and finally noticed his torn sleeve. "Wait. You're injured?!" she caught his left arm and inspected his wound. "That girl… she dared cut your skin…" her voice shook with rage. "I knew it. I should have killed her-"

"Whoa, stop right there!" Rito cut off her threat immediately. "It was my fault for being careless, not hers."

His explanation fell on deaf ears as her dark aura started to surround her and her face began to assume a menacing look. Doubtless, she would carry out her threat. She's a chip off the old block, after all. Panicked, Rito did what any desperate man would do to distract a girl from her bloodthirsty thoughts- he bent down and kissed her forehead.

Fortunately, his sudden display of affection snapped Momo out of her dire mood and heightened the color on her cheeks. "Did you just-"

"Yeah, I did." Rito pointedly looked away, feeling the heat rise in his neck. He had no choice. It was either that or be responsible for a meaningless bloodshed. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, don't say such scary things, Momo. It's just a scratch."

Without waiting for her response, he started to walk back to the castle. Damn, he hated himself for getting so easily worked up. One minute, he was at peace and now he felt like a ball of nerves. Ugh. "By the way, how did you know I was here, Momo?" he asked conversationally, as Momo caught up and walked beside him, grinning.

"Oh. Celine told me." She answered gaily as they turned the corner. "I picked up her cries for help in my D-Dial so you should thank her." She added, showing off her phone.

"Eh? Who's Celine?"

Momo inclined her head towards glass door and he recognized the little girl he saved earlier. Upon their approach, Celine stood up and ran towards them, crying. In her haste, the child stumbled forward and she would have hurt herself if Rito hadn't been there to catch her. He picked her up and welcomed the sobbing girl in his embrace.

As her tiny arms wrapped around his neck, he felt a stab of guilt for inadvertently forgetting about his promise to get back to her. Hell, he was already making his way back to the castle. He closed his eyes, burying his face in her hair. "I'm sorry for leaving you alone." He murmured softly against her ear. "I'm right here so you're safe now." he pressed his lips against her baby-soft cheek in reassurance. He held himself still to work out the tension out of his body, as if the child is draining it all away from him.

Then drawing from his experience in taking care of his sister, Rito started to rock her gently back and forth in his arms, calling her name and telling her how brave she was and that everything would be okay. They stayed like that for a moment until Celine snuggled closer in his chest and fell asleep with a thumb in her mouth.

"I see your charm works on little girls as well." She commented, watching the two of them with a knowing look.

"I-It's not like that!" Rito whispered, flustered. "Please, don't say such things in front of a kid."

"Just kidding." Momo chuckled, getting a kick out of making him squirm. "Anyway, I'm surprised Celine took a liking to you. Maybe she thought you're from the same species as her."

Rito blinked. "Eh? How did she-"

The princess grinned and pointed at the top of his head. It was then he remembered his hair clip and that he was wearing it the whole time. He took it off quickly and ruffled his bangs in place. "For the record, I'm just wearing it to keep my hair away from my eyes." he said defensively, as he shoved the accessory into his pocket.

"If you say so." Momo replied blithely.

"Err… so where are Celine's parents?" he asked, changing the subject. "Are they in the castle?"

Momo shook her head sadly. "She doesn't have parents."

"You mean she's an orphan?" he whispered.

"Not exactly." At his confused look, Momo decided to share with him Celine's history. "Actually, Celine used to be this huge sunflower in my greenhouse. But for some reason, she evolved into an infant form a few months ago." she said, with her hands behind her back.

"Such a phenomenon was unheard of, you see. That's why some of the servants here were afraid of her. I think there were even instances when kids of visiting dignitaries bullied her, too." Her voice shook with bitterness as she stared down at her shoes. "I tried to take her with me to protect her but Celine always runs back to hide in this garden. She won't even let me know that she's in trouble." She paused, raising her eyes towards him. "So, imagine my surprise when I heard her cry for help today. That's the first time she ever reached out to me and it's all because she wanted to save you."

"I see. So that's how it is." He stared at the little bundle in his arms fondly. Somehow, knowing about her past made him want to take care of the little girl himself during his stay at the castle.

"Hey, Rito."

"Hmm?"

"Don't forget about my harem plan, okay?" Momo said in a serious tone. "I'll make you mine, I swear it."

At her blunt words, Rito sputtered as his face turned beet red. He stared down at Celine and luckily, she only stirred in her sleep at his reaction. "W-what brought that on?" he whispered in a rush.

Momo shrugged. "Oh nothing. I just wanted to say it aloud." she smiled. "Shall we go?"

Without another word, Rito followed her back inside the castle and up to his room. Once they arrived in front of his bedroom door, Momo took the sleeping child in her arms so that Rito could prepare in peace. For this, Rito was thankful and before they left, he pressed his lips on the child's forehead with a murmured promise to see her later. Momo teased him about giving her another kiss and as usual, Rito flushed and fled inside his room to leave a giggling Momo behind.

Inside his room, Zastin was already waiting with the other butlers from last night and thankfully, they didn't probe about his bedraggled appearance and simply whisked him into the bathroom since they were behind schedule. And in the next half hour, Rito left everything in his butlers' capable hands and listened patiently at Zastin's last minute reminders. Despite the ruckus going on around him, he felt calmer now about facing the King than he was a while ago and it's all thanks to his crazy little morning adventure.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Mea entered her mistress' quarters and found Nana brushing her long pink hair in front of the mirror. "Oh, good timing, Mea. Could you tie my hair up into twintails, please? It's almost time for breakfast with Papa." Nana instructed, then she closed her eyes and let another servant put make up on her face.<p>

"As you wish, Princess Nana." Mea replied, picking up a silver brush nearby.

"So… where have you been so early in the morning, Mea?" she asked, after the servant finished putting lip gloss on her lips. "I looked for you but you weren't in your usual hide outs."

"Hmm… I went to meet Rito-sama in the East Garden." She answered casually, curling the end of her right ponytail.

Nana stiffened at the mention of his name. "I see. So… what do you think of him?" she asked cautiously.

Mea considered the question for a moment and said, "He's a beast in the making."

"Ugh, what did you do now to get that idea? No wait, don't answer that." Nana retracted as she saw the mischievous grin on Mea's face reflected in the mirror before her. "Seriously, Mea. Stop taking unnecessary risks. If Momo finds out-"

Mea smiled wryly and Nana knew her warning was already too late. She massaged her bridge of her nose, trying to calm down. "I told you time and again, stop provoking Momo. Someday, she'll want your head and I won't be able to protect you." She said in exasperation.

"That's all right, princess. I can take care of myself." Mea said in a self-assured tone with which Nana answered with a snort.

Silence fell between them as Mea finished with her task and let her mistress assess her overall look in the mirror. "Mea, about that Rito character… Is he as great as Lala-nee-sama believes him to be?" she inquired, fiddling her thumbs nervously.

Mea closed her eyes for a moment and recalled that morning's events and how her own sister described him over the phone. "Yes." she replied honestly. "I believe your sister made the right choice."

* * *

><p>After cooking dinner, Mikan went to set the table and out of habit, she took out plates and utensils for four people. Once she realized this mistake, she scolded herself for being absentminded and returned the two extra sets on their proper places. Looking at the seats that her older brother and Zastin used to occupy made her heart squeeze painfully. She had no doubt that they would return and they would eat meals together again but the thought of enduring the sight of the empty seats from that day on was unbearable. Turning away abruptly, she went to the backyard where Lala had been cooped up since that afternoon.<p>

Sliding the door aside, she saw the huge white tent set up and Lala's shadow was reflected every time sparks flew from her welding rod. She stepped closer and announced, "Lala-san, dinner is ready!"

"Okay, just a sec!" The welding immediately stopped and Lala stepped out of the tent. Rolling her shoulders back carefully, she looked at the starry sky above thoughtfully. "Wow, its nighttime already. Time sure flies, doesn't it?" she said without averting her gaze.

Following her gaze, Mikan agreed and the two shared a moment of comfortable silence. "Lala-san, are you going somewhere, too?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Lala looked at her and smiled. "Yup, I'm going home to follow Rito!" she said excitedly. "Though Rito said I have to wait but I want to be with him after all."

"Can I come with you?" Mikan asked suddenly.

"Eh?" Lala blinked. "But what about your parents and your school?"

"Don't worry. My parents will agree because you're practically part of our family. Also, my school's still on semestral break so I have time to spare." Mikan insisted. "Please, Lala-san. I want to see Rito, too!"

Lala considered her request for a few seconds then she placed her hand over her sister-in-law's shoulder and said, "Okay, let's go together."

Mikan hugged her in delight. "Thank you, Lala-san!" she said tearfully.

"You're welcome." Lala said, pleased to make Mikan happy. "Come on, our dinner might get cold."

When they finished eating, Mikan went to her room right after to pack her things for their journey ahead. She didn't know long she would be staying there but at the back of her mind, she felt that wherever her brother was, she would stay with him even if it meant not returning to Earth. People would call it separation anxiety or a bad case of brother complex but she didn't care. After all, rules on Earth didn't apply in planet Deviluke. Their prejudices won't reach her there.

She was taking down shoes from the shoe rack when the door bell rang and her father's voice came from the doorway. "I'm home, Mikan~!" Saibai shouted, dropping his duffel bag on the floor. He was dressed in his usual dark blue shirt, jeans and red headband on his head.

"Welcome back, father." Mikan greeted briefly before turning back to her task of picking the right shoes to bring with her.

"So, uh, why are you looking through the shoe cabinet?" her father asked awkwardly, as he removed his shoes. He wasn't that close with his daughter because he was always away due to his work but he expected a bit more enthusiasm from her since they'll be living together in his apartment (if he could convince her later).

"I'm trying to decide which shoes to bring with me." Mikan answered, eyeing her red mary janes and her black buckled ballet flats.

His ears perked up at the thought of her packing up her things. "Why? Are you going somewhere?" he asked with a broad smile, expecting her to declare that she would be going away with him, her father.

"I'm going with Lala-san to planet Deviluke." She replied.

It took a moment for Saibai to absorb her words and when it did, his mouth hung open in shock. "What?! P-planet Deviluke?! But what about school?!"

"I'll come back before our break ends." She replied casually, deciding to bring four pairs of shoes- two flats, her sturdy rubber shoes and her high heels for special occasions. "But if I like it there then I'd stay with onii-chan." She added, while putting the other shoes back in the cabinet.

"No, you can't do this, Mikan." Saibai pleaded, wiping his forehead in a nervous gesture. "You're still too young to go that far away and-"

Mikan took her father's hands in hers. "I'll be all right, Papa. Geez, you worry too much." She chided gently. "I just want to make sure onii-chan will be okay. Besides, he needs me to keep him in line. He's too kind for his own good." She huffed.

Saibai smiled at that. His wife used to say that to him before. "Well, if you're sure about this…"

"Yes, I'm sure." She replied confidently.

Her father gazed at her face searchingly before he dropped his gaze and sighed. "All right, you can go but-" He paused as Mikan tried to stop herself from squealing in delight. "You have to tell your mom about this yourself, understood?"

"I'll tell her right away!" Mikan beamed at him. "Thank you, Papa!" She picked up her shoes from the floor and ran up the stairs to her room to make the important phone call.

Saibai merely scratched the back of his head as he watched go. _"My kids have decided to leave the nest, huh?"_ he thought with a sigh. Just then, Lala chose this moment to poke her head out of the living room door.

"Welcome home, Rito-papa. Would you like a cup of tea?" she offered cheerfully.

Saibai smiled. "Yes, I'd like that very much!" He replied. Taking his bag off the floor, he made his way into the living room and determined it was the right time to have a formal conversation with his future daughter-in-law about life, love, and marriage.

* * *

><p>Rito studied his reflection in the mirror as he clasped one of his cufflinks in place. Dressed in a crisp white shirt, buttoned waistcoat, black frock coat and gray flannel slacks, he looked like he would be attending another ball, not a simple breakfast. If he had his way, he would eat in his comfortable t-shirt and pants but Zastin would throw a fit since he believes that every meeting with the King was a special occasion.<p>

The commander tapped his shoulder lightly and together, they left the room. Guards escorted them through the hallways, into the tube transporter leading to the exclusive dining room of the Deviluke family- the Quartz Room. As the double doors slid open, Rito thought they travelled into a crystal wonderland. Everything in the room, from the snowflake patterned floor up to the large fancy chandelier overhead, was made of blue and white crystals. As he took the first tentative steps inside the room, his heart pounded nervously because he felt like he was walking on air. Below his feet, he could see the people in the pathways below while the walls and ceiling reflect the city outside the castle gates and the morning sky respectively.

Rito wondered if the wall was as smooth as glass or if it was there at all, his hand reaching out to answer his curiosity but a discreet cough snapped him back to the present and reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and followed the butler to the elegant long table.

Without a word, he was led to the chair at the right hand of the King's seat while the twin princesses were on its left, looking pretty in their pastel colored sundresses. After exchanging brief smiles with them, the double doors opened again and the King of Deviluke strode confidently into the room with his black feathered cape fluttering behind him. Everyone inside the room greeted the monarch with deep bows and curtsies and the King acknowledged it with a slight nod of his head then he took the seat at the head of the table.

Once the royal family and Rito were settled, the different delicacies Deviluke had to offer were wheeled inside the dining hall and laid out presentably. Through Rito's eyes, everything looked strange and colorful. He hoped that these dishes would taste better than the ones Lala made for him in the past. Suddenly, the image of a glowing black jelly with a single eye flashed in his mind and his body shuddered. He fervently wished it wouldn't taste as bad as that. Of all things, he didn't want to pass out in front of his future father-in-law.

Sensing his discomfort, Momo asked her father if she could change the view. The King nodded his assent and with a few taps on her arm chair, the view in the walls transformed into a forest with towering trees and crawling vines with glowing exotic flowers. Rito found it beautiful and asked where it was and the third princess said it was a real time view of the Vixan forest in planet Plantas.

Then he listened with growing amazement as Momo explained the room's mechanics like how the images were taken, why it was called the Quartz room, where the jewels were taken to construct it, among others. It kept them occupied while the palace food taster sampled each dish in their presence.

Once he deemed the feast was safe to consume, Momo excitedly gave her recommendations on what dishes Rito should try first and even shared some interesting trivia on the flora ingeniously used as ingredients. Sometimes, Nana would join in the conversation when animals were involved. These exchanges put Rito at ease and he found eating breakfast with the royal family wasn't as stifling as he thought it would be. Plus, Momo's recommended dishes were surprisingly delicious (though it was already cold).

Meanwhile, the King was silent all throughout the meal yet Rito knew he was actively following the conversation if his body language was any indication. In his silence, Rito became more curious to know the plans the King had in store for him. However, Zastin warned him not to mention his training (or anything related to matters of the state) because the Deviluke monarch preferred to enjoy his precious mealtime with his family in peace. So, he held his tongue and tried his hand at being patient.

After a while, the dishes were cleared and they sipped their ptisane (a Devilukean tea) in companionable silence. As he lifted the delicate teacup to his lips, he concluded that today's breakfast was a success. He enjoyed the meal, he didn't pass out and he was able to converse without stuttering like a fool. It was like the time he spent on worrying and being nervous was unnecessary.

"Rito Yuuki." The King said, as leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed.

"Yes, sir?" Rito asked, placing the cup down before his hand shook.

"Are you absolutely certain you want to undergo the royal training as my successor?"

"Yes, I am." He answered with the same determination as before.

"Very well." The King nodded, his face impassive. "Come stand beside me. You, too, Zastin." he ordered, before pressing a button in his arm rest to swivel his chair around. The two men hastened to obey his command and then the King cocked his head towards the butler by the door and said, "Send them in."

The butler bowed and placed his hand over the scanner to reveal the three men standing behind the double doors. The one on the left, with golden eyes, spiky red hair with orange highlights and a white theater mask sitting precariously at the side of his head, instantly brightened up at the sight of His majesty.

"We're back, my liege!" he greeted, making a beeline towards the King's seat. He was dressed in an oversized black straitjacket style top, knee-length khakis and sneakers. By Rito's estimation, they were about the same age but he couldn't be sure since aliens age differently from humans. "We came as soon as you called for us. Did you miss us, by any chance?"

Before the teenager got any closer, the muscular man with tanned skin on the right, grabbed him by the collar. "Mind your manners, Samhain." He drawled, his voice sounded deep and almost guttural. He looked every inch like a primitive Indian warrior with his long raven black hair decorated with beads and feathers, his face painted with fierce black stripes and his breechclout. The notable differences were he had a huge axe on his back instead of a normal bow and arrow and he had a pair of bull horns on his head.

"All right already. No need to get so grabby." Samhain twisted free from his grip. "Seriously Behemoth, all you had to do is ask."

Behemoth crossed his arms over his naked chest and snorted. "Oh, really?" his red eyes seemed to say with a lift of his bushy eyebrow. This stance made him look taller and intimidating yet Samhain looked at him with a glare of his own.

"That's enough, you two," scolded the taller man in the middle in a well-modulated voice. He has bobbed silver hair with purple tips, pointed elf ears and crystal blue eyes. Dressed in a flowing white robe, he gave off a serene aura synonymous to those early century prophets. Upon hearing his words, the two men shared one last look of animosity before they trailed behind the silver-haired man and knelt down before the King in respect.

"We, the generals of planet Xenos, have come to answer your summons, your Highness." The silver-haired man said without raising his head. "It is a great pleasure to stand before your presence."

The King smirked at his statement. "Is it really?" he asked dubiously. "You haven't visited me ever since the war ended despite my countless invitations. If I hadn't threatened you, you wouldn't have come here on your own accord."

"You wound me, your highness. I was only busy maintaining the King's peace in planet Xenos and the other planets under my jurisdiction. Surely, you understand that." Alistair answered sincerely.

The King studied him for a moment. "You may all stand now." he said finally, with a flick of his hand.

"Generals, I'd like you to meet my future son-in-law and heir to the throne, Rito Yuuki." He introduced, patting the young man behind his back. Rito gave a slight nod of acknowledgement as the three men regarded him in silence. He felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny but he returned their gazes unflinchingly.

"Rito, standing before you are my most trusted generals who helped me win the Galaxy Unification Wars. Remember their faces because for the next three years, they will be your royal tutors." The King revealed casually, while all eyes turned to him in shock. Clearly, the summoned generals were not informed of this and a tense atmosphere filled the room as they waited for the King's next words.

"You will be taken in a secret military base of Alistair's choosing and you will master your lessons there. Once they deem you're ready for the field, you will help maintain the peace and make a name for yourself. Only when you have accomplished these, you may return to marry my daughter and ascend the throne on your 21st birthday." He smiled proudly, liking the grand plan he laid out. "Now, do you have any questions?" he asked, looking sideways at Rito.

"Ah, I was under the impression that the royal training is done here traditionally, Sir." Rito replied, slightly confused.

"Tradition? Bah!" The King scoffed. "Times have changed, Rito. You will rule not only over planet Deviluke but also the entire Milky Way Galaxy and I believe my generals here are more than capable of honing you into the successor I expect you to be." He said confidently with a sweep of his hands. "Alistair here will teach you about Intergalactic laws and public administration. Behemoth, on the other hand, will be in charge of your advanced combat training and lastly, Samhain will train you to be an excellent battle strategist."

"With all due respect, Sire." Alistair interrupted politely. "What about our duties to planet Xenos? We can't just-"

"Are you saying you can't do it, Alistair?" The King countered, flicking his tail. "Is it wrong of me to expect so much from you?"

The insinuation behind his words made the Alistair's lips twitch. "Pardon my interruption. I was merely stating a concern." He reasoned calmly. "But since you have so much faith in me, I will do my best to meet your expectations, your Highness."

"Good." The King smiled. "Now, prepare to leave in an hour."

"As you wish." Alistair said in acquiesce then the three bowed in unison. Samhain paused in the doorway and looked like he wanted to say something but then he changed his mind and left the room with the other two.

Rito followed their departure with his eyes. It was clear to him that the King and that Alistair guy had some issues. Hell, the air was practically crackling with tension as the two men exchanged brief words. He cast a sideways glance at Zastin and wondered if he knew the reason behind it, since he fought in the war, too.

"Zastin." The King called once the door closed behind the generals.

"Yes, my Lord?" Zastin replied, as he knelt before the King.

"I'm assigning you as Rito's personal bodyguard and I also expect you to teach him about Devilukean History, Culture and Etiquette- just like you did for my daughters."

"Certainly, my Lord."

"Wait, Sir. What about Lala? Who will protect her if Zastin's coming with me?" Rito asked in concern.

The King waved his hand dismissively. "Once she comes home, she'll be safe here." Seeing his gawping expression, he smiled slyly. "What? Did you honestly think my willful daughter will stay put on Earth without you? You have a lot to learn, kid." He said, amused to see the boy's flustered face.

"Uhm, Papa?" Momo said hesitantly as she stood on her father's right side.

"Yes, Momo?" The King replied, turning his chair to face her.

"I-I'd like to go with Rito as well!" she announced suddenly, her hands clasped in front of her.

"What?!" Rito and Nana exclaimed at the same time but Momo didn't pay them any attention and continued to stare at her father squarely.

"I want to have an adventure, Papa! I want to see the outside world and learn new things just like Mama and Lala-nee-sama." She explained, her purple eyes bright with enthusiasm. "Please, Papa? I promise I'll be on my best behavior there." She implored, fluttering her eyelashes for added effect.

The King studied her for a moment and sighed, "Do what you want." he said.

"Yay! Thanks Papa!" Momo beamed, clapping her hands happily.

Nana stood up from her seat abruptly. "Wait! Why does Momo get to go out? I'm the second princess!" she protested, pointing at herself for emphasis. It wasn't like she wanted to go on that hopeless quest but it was annoying to see her sister get what she wanted every time she acted cute and get all teary-eyed. It was clearly a calculated move but she couldn't understand why everyone (including their father) fell for it every single time. It wasn't fair. She always had to prepare a reasonable speech before she got anything.

Meanwhile, the King simply sat there with a neutral expression, obviously used to the twin's bickering.

The third princess faced her sister with an innocent smile. "Well, as the second princess, you have the duty to help Lala-nee-sama once she returns home. You were the one who took over her responsibilities while she stayed on Earth, after all." she argued easily.

"Yeah, but you know Lala-nee-sama's duties as well so you can stay here." Nana replied, staring at her sister.

"Oh come on, Nana." Momo scoffed. "Why would you even want to go? You don't even like Rito."

"Momo!" Nana blushed guiltily. She caught Rito's surprised face and she turned her gaze away. "Well, he's still not good enough for Lala-nee-sama!" she admitted, crossing her arms haughtily.

Momo lift a single eyebrow. "Really? How could you tell?" she asked with a note of suspicion.

Nana stomped her foot angrily. "I just know all right?!" she fumed, her voice up a notch. "And besides according to my source, he's- he's a beast in the making! A beast!" she said, pointing at Rito accusingly. However, her final outburst was met with a sudden silence, much to her confusion.

"A beast, hmm? I think that's a good moniker." The King said thoughtfully, breaking the silence. "Don't you think so, Zastin?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Oh, say it again, Nana." Momo smiled teasingly. "It sent chills down my spine." she said, shaking her shoulders animatedly.

Nana flushed in embarrassment. She hated it that her concern wasn't taken seriously. It made her feel like an idiot. Worst of all, Momo had that triumphant look on her face. Damn it!

"Fine! Don't say I didn't warn you all!" she stormed out of the room in a flurry of skirts.

Momo sighed. "May I be excused as well, Papa?" she asked, facing her father again. "Don't worry. I'll go and talk to her." As the King gave his permission, she bobbed a curtsy and left the room gracefully.

After the door closed, the King let out a good-natured laugh. "Hmm, you've made quite an impression on my daughters as expected." he commented before jumping off his chair. "Well then, I'll leave you to your preparations. See you in an hour, Rito Yuuki."

* * *

><p>Later that morning, the preparations were done and Rito found himself standing under Zastin's spaceship entrance to bid his farewell to the King and the second princess. He knelt before his future father-in-law and said solemnly, "I'm going now, your highness. I'll be back on our appointed date as a changed man."<p>

The King placed his hand over Rito's head gently and said gently, "Go forth bravely and be strong. May the stars guide you back safely, my son-in-law."

His encouraging words warmed him from the inside out. The King's approval meant so much to him than he realized. "Thank you, Sir. I really appreciate it." he said, his voice rough with emotion.

Meanwhile, the twin sisters hugged each other in farewell. "Are you sure of bringing Celine along? It's a military base you're going to, not a nursery." Nana asked, eyeing the child in her sister's arms worriedly.

Momo smiled. "I know. But only I can take care of her and besides, she's attached to Rito, aren't you, Celine?" she said, smiling down at the girl who mewled in response.

Nana sighed in defeat. "Geez, I still don't know what you see in him to go to these lengths." She grumbled, shaking her head. They had their differences but she couldn't accept the fact that Momo was putting herself in danger for someone like _him_.

"Don't worry, once we come back, you'll see." Momo winked. "Bye, Nana."

As Momo turned to say goodbye to their father, Rito stood in front of her and almost immediately, she crossed her arms and glared at him. Unlike her sisters and father, she was determined to hold her judgment until he had proven himself.

"Look, uhm-" Rito started, standing there awkwardly. "I know you don't like me very much but still, thank you for being honest with me, Nana." He smiled. "As I am now, I'm still not enough. But I'll try my best to be worthy of your sister, Lala." He declared while staring directly in her eyes. Despite of her initial dislike of him, she could tell that his determination to succeed was genuine. She almost wavered. Well, almost.

Nana clutched his silk tie and pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear, "Words are wind, Rito Yuuki. If you fail in your quest, don't show your face here ever again."

"I'll keep it in mind." Rito replied then he straightened his tie as she let him go. "Take care of yourself, Nana." He smiled sadly then he put his hand to his chest, bowed and walked back to the waiting entrance. He felt disappointed they're parting ways in such a bad note. Looking at it positively, as early as now, he learned that not everyone would approve of him as the successor. The only answer he knew to redeem himself in their eyes was to survive and return to Deviluke as promised.

He stood between Momo and Zastin and then, a flash of blue light teleported them into the ship's control room. After the coordinates of their destination were set, Rito shouted the command to blast off and in a few seconds, the ship was sailing through the cosmos with the generals' spaceships and their escorts flanking them from all sides.

* * *

><p>Later that evening inside a private office, the King was pacing over his wide oval table while perusing state documents in his hands when Vega, his secretary, came through the door and announced the arrival of Lala with her guests and her wish to have an audience with him.<p>

Wearing his usual smirk, the monarch jumped off his table, tucked the documents in its hidden drawer and tapped his foot twice on the floor to make the table disappear beneath the floor and be replaced with comfortable couches. He had been looking forward to this meeting since Rito made that bold pronouncement of becoming his worthy successor. Seating himself regally at the chair with an elaborately carved backrest, he motioned for his secretary to let them in with a simple flick of his hand.

As soon as the door opened, Lala burst into the room with her three earthling friends in tow. "I'm home, Papa!" she said cheerfully, waving her arm in greeting. Lala hurried to his side and pecked his cheek while her companions stood awkwardly inside the room.

The King smiled. "Welcome back, Lala." He said then his gaze turned to the other three. "Welcome to you as well, friends of my daughter. Please have a seat." He continued, pointing at the empty couches before him.

The girls settled in the plush black velvet couches, Lala and the girl with short blue hair sat on the left couch, while the black-haired beauty and a young brunette were on the other. Having instructed Vega to bring some snacks and a hot pot of ptisane for their guests, the secretary left the room without delay.

"So…" The King leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. "May I know your names, lovely ladies? I believe we haven't been properly introduced."

"Oh, uhm, I'm Haruna Sairenji, your Highness." Haruna said politely.

"I'm Y-Yui. Yui Kotegawa." Yui answered nervously.

"And I'm Mikan Yuuki, Rito's younger sister and your future daughter-in-law. I'm pleased to finally meet you, Sir." Mikan said, bowing her head in greeting.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." He smiled, committing their names into his memory. "So, what brings you all here in Deviluke?"

"Actually Papa, we came here to see Rito!" Lala replied excitedly. "In his message, he told us he'll be here for the royal training. So here we are!"

The King kept his expression neutral. He had surmised that this would be their intention for coming but he had a different plan in mind for them. And the first thing he had to do was burst their bubble of expectation. A knock came on the door and Vega wheeled in a tray of baked sweets and hot ptisane for the guests. He served the treats in the coffee table deftly and the girls accepted it graciously. For a moment, Lala happily stuffed her mouth with the familiar treats and told her friends that she loved eating it since her childhood.

Once her sweet tooth was satisfied, Lala turned to her father. "So Papa, where is Rito staying now?" she asked, looking at him expectantly.

The King put down his cup first before answering. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but Rito is no longer here." He stated. "I've sent him away a few hours ago."

Her face fell. "What do you mean you sent him away, Papa?" she asked, confused.

"You are all aware that Rito wanted to become my successor, correct?" At their nod, he continued. "Well, in order to prepare him for that important role, I sent him on a distant planet to train with my loyal comrades and your sister Momo. Don't worry. He'll be back in three years time… hopefully."

Lala was silent as she absorbed everything her father said. A day without Rito felt like a part of her was missing. She was only able to keep her loneliness at bay with the hope of seeing him today and the knowledge that he was within reach. But now, that hope was gone and she had to endure three years of living without him. She felt someone hold her hands and when she looked up, she barely saw Haruna's face through the haze of her tears.

"Will he come visit here for vacation, perhaps?" Mikan asked calmly though she looked pale.

The King shook his head dramatically. "It's in our agreement not to see or contact anyone besides his companions." he explained.

"T-Then we came here for… nothing?" Yui squeaked in disbelief.

"If that's the only thing you came for then… yes, it is." The King said bluntly.

"Where did they take him, Papa?" Lala asked hoarsely.

"I don't know." The King lied.

Lala looked up and saw in his eyes that he had no intention of revealing anything to her. It was the same look he had when he took her away forcibly and threatened to destroy Earth if Rito failed to win the gamble. She tore her gaze away, unable to bear looking at his impenitent face. She thought after that incident, her father wouldn't make decisions behind her back anymore. She was clearly mistaken.

Lala stood up from her seat shakily. "Then I'm going to find him. Goodbye, Papa." She said tersely and turned her back on him. Her companions also rose from their seats to follow her.

However, Lala had only taken a few steps towards the door when her father called her complete name in a sharp, commanding tone. Reluctantly, she stopped in her tracks but she did not face him lest she say something she might regret.

"It is a heavy responsibility to take my place as the King of Deviluke and Emperor of the Milky Way Galaxy and your fiancé knows that. He also understood that he has to get stronger to protect this kingdom and all those important to him. That's why he sought my help. I did warn him that the training will cost him his life but that boy… he was so determined to try." He said with a hint of wonder in his voice. "Rito has found his purpose and is willing to risk his life to fulfill it. So now, I am asking you, the first princess and future queen of Deviluke, have you found your purpose?" he asked in a serious tone. "The same goes for the three of you." He added at length, turning his gaze at the three girls before him. "You can all stay as long as you want to think things over. Our capable staff will see to it that all your needs are provided for. And once you have found your resolve, come to me without hesitation."

After a brief silence, Lala continued to walk out of the room and this time, the King didn't stop her. Meanwhile, the trio excused themselves politely with curtsies before they went after their distraught friend out of the office in quick, short strides.

The door closed firmly behind them and finally, the King let out a tired sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose. This had been a long day for him. He could only hope his little speech bolstered them to think seriously about their future, especially his eldest daughter. It hurt him to see that betrayed look in her eyes but it was for the best. It was the right time for them to realize that they weren't children anymore and that their decisions after today could alter the course of their lives forever.

"You don't want them to go, do you, Sire?" Vega asked silently, as he handed a cup of ptisane to his liege.

"It's such a waste not to put their loyalty to good use." The monarch took the cup gratefully and left its calming aroma waft through his nose. "After all, loyalty is invaluable to a King." he lifted his cup in silent salute and took a deep, satisfying gulp. He sighed in contentment as the liquid trailed a burning trail down his throat and warmed his insides.

"Very well said, Sire." Vega replied with a knowing smile. "Very well said."

* * *

><p>Back in the spaceship, Rito had just come out of the conference room as his meeting with the royal tutors concluded. It was decided unanimously to commence his training program tomorrow while they were en route to the distant planet of Valentia.<p>

Upon tapping his password, the white metal door of his quarters slid open. He trudged inside, loosened his silk tie and hung it at the hook beside his door. Then, he unbuttoned his waistcoat and cufflinks with deft fingers. All he wanted now was to get enough sleep for tomorrow. As he threw his waistcoat in the nearby clothes basket and started with his shirt buttons, he heard a sneeze.

He whipped around and was shocked to see Momo sitting on his bed bare naked, with her right hand scratching her nose. He covered his flushed face with his hands in his usual flustered manner. "Momo! What the- how did you get in here?!" he asked frantically.

"The answer to that can wait." She replied sweetly. "But first, continue what you're doing. I love a good strip tease."

Rito could almost imagine her smirk as she said those words. He gulped. "W-Why are you here? Do you have another message for me?"

"Of course not, silly." she said with a giggle. "I'm here to see you."

"C-Can't you do that with your clothes on?!" he exclaimed in frustration. He was starting to think having Momo around was a bad idea.

Without warning, he was pushed against the door and her soft naked form pressed against him in the most delicious manner. It excited him but he would die first rather than to admit it. Shakily, his hands shot out to push her away by the shoulders. "Momo-" he croaked, trying to gain some semblance of control. But the princess was determined to make him lose it. With half-closed eyes peering at him, her fingers trailed along his extended arm lightly.

"Come on, don't be shy." Momo crooned, making the hairs on his neck stand. "I'm sure you're tired today and I can make you feel good." She said suggestively, slipping her right hand through the gap in his shirt. _"Oh shit." _He thought, as his breath catch in his throat. As her hand brushed against his left nipple, his body jerked instinctively.

To his relief, the lights in his room turned red as the alarm blared loudly all throughout the space ship. As he snapped back to his senses, he backed away from her sensuous touch and opened his door. "Sorry. Duty calls!" he said then he stumbled out of his room in a hasty escape. He didn't stop running until he was in front of the control room door. Panting heavily, he buttoned his shirt up and ran a nervous hand through his hair. Once he was satisfied he looked decent enough, he opened the door and strode towards Zastin to be updated on the situation.

It turned out an unknown spaceship had caught up with them and General Samhain and his crew were presently dealing with the threat with their own battle drones. Through the ship's window, Rito could only see flashes of light and small explosions from afar.

Curious about the lone attacker's identity, he gave the order to enhance the image of the attacker's ship. However, the instant the ship came to view and he read the ship's name printed on its body, he stiffened in alarm. It's the Lunatique.

"Connect me to General Samhain's ship right now!" he barked and one of his crew hastily obeyed his sharp command.

A few seconds later, the line connected and Samhain's face appeared on their screen. "Don't disturb me now, kid, I'm about to-"

Rito cut him off and said, "With all due respect, Sir. I'm asking you to stand down."

"What?!" Samhain exclaimed, incredulous. "Don't you know who we're dealing with here? That's the ship Lunatique and that means-" he tried to explain as if Rito were an idiot but he beat him into it.

"It's Golden Darkness' ship, I know." Rito completed. "I'm asking you to stand down because she's my friend."

Samhain stared at him doubtfully. "She's your friend? How is that even possible?"

Zastin, who was standing in Rito's side, cleared his throat and said, "It's true, General Samhain. Golden Darkness is Muko-dono's ally."

The red-haired general studied them for a moment, trying to see the truth behind their words. He had always known the Golden Darkness as a lone and dangerous assassin. It was the first time he heard of her having allies. He snorted, hating that the chance to have a face-off with such an opponent was put to a stop. "Fine. I hear and obey." He said glumly before the line went off.

"Establish connection with the Lunatique." Rito ordered, eyeing the screen worriedly as the disturbance up ahead disappeared and the remaining battle drones returned to their commander's ship.

The connection was established but the screen was a static black and white. Panicked, Rito leaned over the railing and called out. "Yami! Yami, can you hear me? Are you okay? Yami!"

Just then, the screen cleared to reveal Yami's emotionless face. "I'm here, Rito Yuuki. My ship suffered minor damages but I'm fine."

Relieved to see her unhurt, Rito sighed in exasperation. "Geez, I did say I'll see you soon but this is way too soon." He said, shaking his head.

Her lips quirked, showing a hint of a smile. "You're my target so I can't let you out of my sight." She reminded.

This time he chuckled in amusement. It was always a wonder how she could remain unfazed as if she wasn't attacked just a few minutes ago and still have the gall to deliver her usual threat. _Only Yami can do that, _he thought.

"It's good to see you, Yami." Rito said, smiling warmly at her. "Come, we have much to talk about."

After that, he instructed his crew to open dock 6 to accommodate her ship and then, he rushed out of the control room and into the said docking area to welcome his former assassin turned friend, Golden Darkness. In his haste, he didn't notice the pink-haired princess following him discreetly from behind.

* * *

><p>Momo hid behind one of the supply crates, curious to know the reason behind Rito's agitated behavior. She was close enough to see his full figure waiting anxiously as an unfamiliar spaceship landed inside the docking area 6. Soon, a burst of air erupted as the ship's door opened and a girl with flowing yellow hair jumped down gracefully. A sudden spike of apprehension seized her as she noticed the girl's garb was similar to that of her sister's bodyguard, Mea.<p>

Rito ran to the blonde girl eagerly but then, he lost his balance and his hands landed on her breasts as he toppled over her. In a split second, he was sent flying by one of her fist-shaped hair. Momo was about to leap out of hiding to attack the newcomer when suddenly, his laughter rang out.

Momo watched silently as Rito jumped up to his feet and massaged his left cheek. He said something to the blonde girl as he walked towards her. The princess thought it was a pity she was too far to hear his words clearly. So instead, she observed and tried to guess their conversation from their reactions.

Just then, the newcomer used her hair to get a paper bag inside her ship then she thrust it towards him. Rito looked inside the packet and exclaimed in delight. He said something again and the girl stiffened and brought one of her fist-shaped hair towards him.

He closed his eyes, expecting a blow but when none came, he took a peek and saw the fist change into an open palm, as if inviting a handshake. Carefully, he reached out and the moment his hand closed over the hand-shaped hair, it turned back to just being hair and Rito held it gently. He said something to her again, like a compliment, and the girl's cheeks flushed and her hair turned back into a fist and punched him in the stomach. He landed on his butt, laughing while the girl looked away, miffed. Once Rito sobered, he stood up, reached into the packet in his arms and handed her a piece of bread. The girl took it gratefully and together, they walked away eating.

The princess stepped out of her hiding place and stared at their retreating figures thoughtfully. She didn't fail to notice the look the newcomer gave him while Rito chattered away by her side.

"Another rival appears, huh?" Momo smiled, her eyes bright with mischief. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Another chapter done! Wooh! So, what do you think of it so far? C'mon, don't be shy and tell me your thoughts~ (pokes your cheek)

By the way, the other aliens who appeared in this chapter are original characters. (e.g. Aleschka and the royal tutors)

Honestly, thinking of new names and describing locations is difficult! I had to search for names related to demons and try to make an ordinary room technologically advanced! Ugh. Yeah, it was hard but still, it was fun writing it! I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written! haha! XD

So yeah, thank you all for reading and watch out for the next installment! Haha! (winks)


	4. The Paths Taken

**Chapter Four  
>~The Paths Taken~<strong>

* * *

><p>After instructing Zastin to keep their troops on guard outside the castle walls, Rito waited backstage dressed in his sleek black military uniform and white mask that covered only half his face. Taking a peek behind the thick red curtain, he saw a crowd of huge birds, villagers and soldiers alike, watching the stage performers whilst carrying banners, flags and mugs of beer. They all looked jubilant and tipsy, while the little Ebon children were jumping around, laughing. It was hard to imagine that just a few hours ago, they were caught in the battle between the tyrannical reptilian invaders and the Devilukean Peace Corps. Tonight, they were the perfect picture of free and happy people.<p>

He dropped his hold on the curtain as the blaring lights made his eyes water. If possible, he wanted to take a rest in his bunk today, especially after his rigorous fight with the reptilian soldiers. But when the Chieftain, a great crested grebe, asked him to appear before his people as the guest of honor in this victory party, he couldn't refuse.

As Rito stretched his arms to ward off his sleepiness, a soft patter of footsteps caught his attention. "Rito-san! Rito-san!" an Ebon child resembling a yellow canary, came running towards him. It was the Chieftain's only daughter, Fia, wearing her usual red riding hood.

"Oh, hey, Fia-chan!" Rito greeted with his arms outstretched. Seeing this welcoming gesture, Fia excitedly jumped into his arms. "I'm so happy you're safe, Rito-san!" She murmured, wrapping her feathered arms around his neck in affection.

"Well, you did pray for me, right?" Rito winked as he held the child more securely.

"Of course!" the child pulled away a little to stare at him. "I asked the Great Owl to keep you safe and help you win!" she declared, raising her wings animatedly.

"As expected of Ebon's next chief, your great ancestor favors you." Rito smiled at the girl, remembering how much she helped convince her father to trust him and cooperate with them in driving out the tyrannical conquerors from their land.

His praise made her puff her chest up proudly. "Do you really think I can rule when I'm all grown up like you?" she asked, her eyes twinkling eagerly.

"Of course you can." Rito grinned. "Don't you agree, Chief?" he asked, looking over the child's shoulder.

The child turned her head in surprise and saw her father standing a few feet behind them with a proud smile on his face. "Well, of course. She has the same strong spirit as her mother, after all." The Chieftain answered.

Fia's eyes filled with tears. It meant so much to her to be regarded in the same light as her departed mother. After Rito put her down, she immediately ran towards her father and hugged him. "I love you, Papa! I missed you so much!" she said tearfully. The Chief's eyes glistened then he returned his daughter's embrace. It has been six months since the reptilian leader took his daughter as a hostage to force his obedience. If it weren't for Rito, his daughter would have remained separated from her forever.

Meanwhile, the ground rumbled with the rhythmic stomping on the ground. Rito heard the crowd behind the curtain chant his alias in unison. He smiled reminiscently. This day marked the third year he took on that moniker and went on a journey to prove his worth. Now, he had built a reputation as the fierce leader of the Devilukean Peace Corps and had earned the respect of the political leaders, citizens and soldiers he encountered along the way. Everything was for the sake of fulfilling his promise to Lala and earning the right to make his return.

"Good luck, Rito-san!" Fia said, waving her hand in encouragement. Beside her, the Chieftain cast him a thankful glance and Rito responded to them with a smile and a bow of respect. Then, with a thumping heart, he turned on his heels and swept the curtain aside to answer their thunderous call as the masked protector, _The Beast_.

* * *

><p>Inside a brightly lit research laboratory, a sharp buzz of metal welding sounded and bright sparks of light flew in the air as Lala made the last adjustments to her latest invention, Body Body Repair-kun. Once satisfied, Lala put the portable rod away, closed the machine's side panel and removed the protective goggles from her eyes.<p>

Taking a few steps back, the First Princess regarded the silver egg-shaped machine with a proud smile. After six months of planning with Haruna (now an intergalactic doctor-in-training) and hard work, she finally finished its construction.

With a tired sigh, Lala slumped in the nearby chair and closed her eyes. Once the Body Body Repair-kun passes its test runs, it would be the 5th invention that she and Haruna collaborated to make. The other four included Cancer Cell Eliminator-kun, DNA Tracer-kun, 1Stop Health Checker-kun and AlcoAway-kun. And now, with the Body Body Repair-kun, they hoped to help the physically disabled have a normal life by repairing their body tissues and restoring its functions.

As the thought of helping save lives crossed her mind, a familiar sense of fulfillment filled her heart. In the past, she used to make things just to satisfy her own whim, but now, she strove to make projects that would benefit a lot of people. As someone gifted with a high aptitude for invention, she came to the realization of using her skills for a good cause. Now that she thought about it, it was the first major decision she made as her journey to become a worthy future queen started.

The door to her laboratory slid open and Peke flew into the room whilst calling her name in a loud voice. As the two hugged each other in greeting, the princess saw Haruna enter the room in her usual white lab coat, carrying a clothed-wrapped bento in her hand.

"Lala-san, it's time to take a break!" Haruna said, lifting the package for Lala to see.

The princess grinned. "Good timing! I'm feeling hungry right now."

"Don't worry, Lala-sama! We prepared your favorite dishes from Earth today." Peke said proudly before she scrambled to prepare a table for three.

"Really?" Lala immediately perked up at the mention of Earth dishes. Like an excited child, she took a seat and watched as Haruna unwraps the three-layered bento with ease.

Before her, the familiar dishes she enjoyed on Earth were set daintily like tamagoyaki, wiener tako, curry rice, onigiri, miso soup, deep fried tempura and a whole lot more. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled in response. It has been a long time since she tasted such delicacies since it usually took a long time to have Earth ingredients delivered to the castle.

"Itadakimasu!" they said together in respect before digging in the food. Lala nearly moaned at the first bite of tempura.

"This is so delicious!" the princess said, eating with much gusto.

Haruna chuckled. "I'm glad you think so. Mikan-chan, Peke and I worked hard to cook these for you once the shipment from Earth arrived today."

"I see. I see. Thank you so much! I really missed all of these foods!" She said in delight. "By the way, what's the latest news on Earth?" she asked before sipping the miso soup noisily.

"Ah. Wait." Haruna put down her chopsticks and pushed a button on her wristwatch to make a hologram to appear. "As promised, the Tenjouin Group used your inventions to help in the field of medicine and forensics. They also gave free medical treatment to the poor." Haruna started reporting while showing pictures and figures on the hologram screen. "For the past years, their company's assets have risen and their field of operations has expanded to all the continents. Now, they're aiming to reach those living in remote areas for them to experience healing for free."

Lala nodded her head in approval. "I'm happy Saki-chan's company is doing well. I thought she'd have a hard time since she agreed to our condition of using our inventions to give free medical services to the poor."

"Well, Tenjouin-san said she would still gain profit, didn't she? Now, she has proven to be a formidable conglomerate president." She commented with a trace of awe in her voice.

"But she's still not as great as my Lala-sama!" Peke interjected, remembering how much Saki wanted to best her mistress in the past. "Moreover, her use of Lala-sama's inventions didn't come cheap. Her company gained the exclusive right to trade with our planet and she even became the Earth's ambassadress. If anything, she should feel thankful because Lala-sama trusts her."

The girls exchanged glances and laughed. "Ah, Peke, you're still as loyal as ever. That's why I love you!" Lala said, patting Peke's head affectionately. The robot blushed and murmured her thanks. As Lala's attention turned back to the food, she noticed the spotted, round onigiri.

"Oh! This is so cute!" Lala exclaimed, picking up the unusual onigiri. "Who made this?"

"I did, Lala-sama!" Peke said, raising her hand readily. "I saw some black beans among the ingredients and thought it would taste good with the rice. But I'm sorry the shape is weird. I'll try better next time, Lala-sama."

Lala giggled. "It's all right, Peke. I really like it and besides-", she said as she lifted it up before her eyes. "It almost looks like a soccer ball, don't you think?"

"Yes, it does." Haruna smiled in agreement.

"Rito used to play soccer when he was little, right?" Lala commented in a reminiscent tone of voice. "I remember Mikan-chan showing me his pictures when he played soccer with his friends."

"Yes, he did play soccer before." Haruna smiled gently at the thought of Rito. "I think he was pretty good at it, too." She added before she sipped her tea.

"Hey, Haruna. Have you heard any news about Rito?" Lala asked nonchalantly, popping the onigiri in her mouth. Her face and tone was casual but Haruna sensed the worry that belied her words.

Putting down her cup carefully, she faced Lala with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Lala-san. Like you, I haven't heard any news until now."

"I see. It's all right, Haruna-chan! I kind of expected that anyway." Lala forced a laugh then continued stuffing her face with food. Feeling guilty for letting her friend down, Haruna joined the princess in eating the food and steered the conversation into safer, livelier topics.

As Peke watched the girls' attempt to cover up their sadness, she felt a twinge of pain in her chest. Though she wanted to tell Lala and Haruna the truth, she couldn't do it. The King forbade her and everyone else from telling the girls any details about Rito since they might follow him wherever he was, especially her mistress.

"_Just wait for a bit more, Lala-sama. Haruna-sama. It'll all be over soon."_ She thought as her gloved hands clenched into fists.

"Is something wrong, Peke?" Lala asked, noticing her attendant's silence.

"No, nothing at all!" Peke shook her head in denial. "Would you like another cup of tea, Lala-sama?" she offered.

"Oh, yes, please." Lala said in her usual bright self. Peke smiled and poured her another cup, relieved that she wasn't questioned any further.

"Ah! By the way Lala-san, are you free today? It's Yui-san and Mikan-chan's graduation ceremony later." Haruna asked excitedly.

"Wha-Ehh?! Is it today?!" Lala sputtered. At Haruna's surprised nod, the princess flipped her phone open and activated it. As soon as it was on, a call got through and the angry face of her younger sister Nana appeared on the hologram screen.

"Lala-nee-sama…" Nana said in a low and angry voice.

Lala chuckled awkwardly. "Yahoo, Nana~!" she greeted.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to call you?!" Nana finally exploded.

Lala put her phone away a little and let her sister vent out her anger. "I'm sorry, Nana. I lost track of the time. Tee hee~" she said once her sister calmed down a little.

Nana looked at her sister and then, heaved a deep sigh. Well, her big sister tends to get carried away when she's working on an invention. So, she'll let it slide for now. "Anyway, be here in my room in 30 minutes. Mou, you're the guest of honor in today's graduation ceremony so don't be late, okay?"

"Hai~!" Lala answered enthusiastically with a little salute. Nana shrugged as if to say, _"It can't be helped." _

"See ya, aneue." She said with a smile and then, she ended the call.

"Guu~ Nana got angry with me again." Lala pouted cutely.

Haruna chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm sure she didn't mean it." She said consolingly. "Well then, let's pack up." she smiled, rising from her seat.

"I'm sorry, Haruna~"

The two of them exchanged a look and then, laughed for no reason at all. Soon, the three of them cleared away the dirty dishes and went their separate ways to finish their tasks of the day.

* * *

><p>Mikan fiddled with the taiyaki strap absently as she watched the alarm clock flash on her mobile screen repeatedly. She didn't make a move to stop it just to remind herself how important today was. There were two reasons why today was special. First, it was exact day her brother had left to shape his destiny. It has been three years and yet she hadn't received any news about her brother's return. She bit her lower lip anxiously. She hoped that she would hear from him soon or from Yami-chan again.<p>

In truth, she received an unexpected call from Yami-chan after they met the King of Deviluke. They were gathered in Lala's room then, wondering what to do next. She put it in loudspeaker and they all heard that Yami-chan had found Rito and he was all right. But as a condition of traveling with him, she was not allowed to disclose their destination. They asked if they could talk to Rito or if she could update them about his condition but Yami-chan sadly declined. Instead, she made a promise that she'll protect Rito for them but before she could say anything else, her line was disconnected. They tried to contact her number again but it couldn't be reached anymore. That was the last time she heard from Yami-chan but still, she kept her phone with her just in case.

For what it's worth, that phone call had somewhat put their minds at ease and they all had the chance to think about their future seriously. After much thought, Kotegawa-san decided to pursue learning about Intergalactic Laws in Deviluke itself. Haruna-san, on the other hand, went to become Mikado-sensei's assistant to know more about healing aliens of different races. Lastly, Lala-san took her father's advice to become more involved in matters of the state in preparation of becoming the future queen. They all did a good job so far.

As for her, since she had skills in cooking and wanted to support her brother in the future as well, she told the King that she wanted to study Devilukean cuisine. Thus, she was enrolled in the Royal Academy of Deviluke to have a chance to become a chef in the Royal Kitchen. Combining her knowledge of Japanese cuisine and with the help of the kitchen staff in the Royal Palace, she was able to cope up with her lessons and even created recipes of her own.

"Mikan-chan?" A voice from the doorway broke her out of her reverie. By the doorway, a Devilukean girl with short wavy red hair and purple eyes poked her head inside the classroom. "Ah, found ya! Come on! The ceremony is about to start!" she said cheerfully.

Mikan smiled in return. "All right. All right. I'm coming, Aerin." she answered then she turned off the alarm on her phone and put on the velvet red and black toga and its matching hat.

Now, the second reason why today was special was because it's their graduation day. The results of their exams would be tallied and the top five students in each course would be announced. Those who make the cut are the only ones who would have the right to work in the Royal Palace of Deviluke for a lifetime.

She took a deep breath before she left the room with Aerin. Together, they went towards the academy's amphitheater where the top students would be recognized before the student body.

The King of Deviluke specifically asked her to try her best to make it so as to prevent any complications in the future. Back then, she had no idea what those _complications_ were. But after her first week in the Royal Academy, she understood his concern.

Her classmates, especially those belonging to the nobility, were displeased with her presence. They had a low regard for the human race and though they didn't say it outright, they were against the King's decision to name an Earthling as his successor. They also envied her connection to the Devilukean Royal family and so, she had to prove herself every step of the way. Only Aerin Mirumur, her seat mate and daughter of a Devilukean count, accepted her from the very start.

For the past three years, she had struggled to learn as much as she can about the Devilukean culture and cuisine to make it to the top. She had to prove that she had earned her place with her brother and that humans were a force to be reckoned with. It was a rough journey and in just a few moments, the result of all her hard work will be revealed.

"Are you ready, Mikan-chan?" Aerin asked as they stood before the double doors of the amphitheater.

"Yeah. I'm ready." Mikan smiled despite her nervousness.

"Could both of you please not block the door?" someone said from behind them.

The girls turned to see the academy's heartthrob, Zeric Sycliffe, standing there with the usual arrogant look on his face and flanked by his male friends and female admirers. He has side swept raven hair and striking green eyes. He's tall for his age and has a lean and slightly muscular build. More importantly, he's also the sole heir of the richest counselor in the royal court of Deviluke, Melcohm Sycliffe. He belongs to the college of law (the same as Kotegawa-san) because he was determined to follow in his father's footsteps as a royal counselor.

He would've have been the perfect guy if it weren't for his bad attitude. It was a major flaw in his seemingly perfect qualities. Unfortunately, Mikan had to bear the brunt of his brash attitude because she bloodied his nose with a punch in front of everyone two years ago. He was the one at fault because he insulted her origin and her brother but he never lived it down. He tried his best to make her school life difficult and it only made her hate his guts.

The two of them faced each other squarely. "You know, a polite "Excuse me" would be enough." Mikan said with forced calmness.

Zeric blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm only polite to the same species as me. Tell me, is she one of us?" he said, looking at his posse to answer. His friends snickered and answered negatively like "Hell no.", "No way.", "In her dreams.", etc.

"There you have it." Zeric said smugly, clearly enjoying the fact that he has the upper hand. "So, step aside, human. You won't make the cut anyway."

Aerin stepped in front of Mikan protectively. "Stop picking on her, Zeric. It's been two years already. Grow up!" Aerin said.

"Was I talking to you?" he answered, his eyes flashing with anger. Evidently, the incident was still a sour point for him.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense between the two. Aerin was about to insult him from head to toe when suddenly a phone rang behind her. She turned and was surprised to see Mikan staring at her ringing phone, her eyes bright and looking visibly shaken.

"Mikan, are you all right?" her friend asked in concern while Zeric and his group stood there, confused.

"Let's go." Mikan croaked, as she clutched the ringing phone next to her heart and walked away in a daze.

"Wait! What about the ceremony?" Aerin called out. She gave one last glare at Zeric before chasing after her friend.

"Well, that was weird, huh, Zeric? As expected of a human, eh?" one of Zeric's friends joked and the others laughed in agreement.

"Now let's get inside, Zeric? We don't want to miss the party, do we?" Tayla crooned, clinging onto Zeric's chest invitingly.

Zeric smiled. "Yeah, come on." He said and his group cheered. He spared a quick glance towards the place where the two girls disappeared into before he strode inside the amphitheater with his friends in tow.

* * *

><p>The sound of cheers and clapping resounded inside the huge amphitheater as the First Princess, Lala Satalin Deviluke, came up on stage as the guest speaker of that commemoration exercise of the Royal Academy of Deviluke. She looked absolutely stunning in her cobalt blue tube dress with matching lace glove and a white flower made of lace and crystal embellishments accent at the waist. Her soft pink hair was tied in a sophisticated chignon and her crown glittered beautifully with her every move. With bated breath, the audience listened to her deliver an inspiring message about hardship and success, hopes and dreams and the importance of family and friends. After that, the roaring of the crowd came again in appreciation for their princess' heartfelt message.<p>

Yui watched it all as one of the graduates. She can't help but be moved and be proud of her friend. Lala had changed so much and became this magnificent crown princess before her eyes. Now, it's her turn to see whether or not, she had what it takes to be a part of Rito's future in Deviluke.

The first college to be called was the College of Engineering. After the top five students for that course was named, they all went onstage and Lala had the honor to place upon their necks the symbol of the department they're going to be a part of in the Royal Palace.

After a while, the College of Law was addressed. Kotegawa closed her eyes and clamped her hands together as of in prayer. The 5th placer was called, then the 4th and 3rd still, she hadn't heard her name. Next, Zeric Sycliffe was named the 2nd placer.

Tears gathered beneath her eyelids. "Ah, maybe I didn't make it after all." She thought sadly.

"The top student for the College of Law is… Yui Kotegawa." the emcee announced.

Yui opened her eyes and quickly looked at the hologram screen onstage as if to confirm what she just heard. There she saw her picture displayed and her rank as the top student. "It's me. It's really me…" she said breathlessly. Soon, tears fell from her eyes out of relief and gratitude.

"Congratulations, Yui! You did it!" her friends and classmates said, while tapping her shoulder or shaking her hand in congratulations.

"All top five students of the College of Law, please come up on stage. Thank you."

As her name was called once again, she made her way towards Lala and they smiled at each other. Once she came close, she curtsied before the princess in respect.

"Congratulations, Yui-chan. I knew you could do it!" Lala said enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Lala-san." Yui said, tearfully.

Then, with a flourish, Yui stripped off her toga and knelt down before the princess to receive her reward. The gilded gold chain with a crystal medallion was placed around her neck and as if by magic, it changed into a beautiful fur-lined emerald green cloak with matching feathered cap. It's the uniform of the future royal counselors of the land.

Yui stood up with pride. She had worked hard just for that moment.

"Together, let's fulfill our vow of becoming this nation's strength." The first princess said, in a regal tone of voice.

Yui smiled. "Yes, you're highness." She answered, bobbing a curtsy in return.

Then, she joined the other four students and congratulated each other warmly, all except for one- Zeric. He simply ignored her, clearly miffed that he's in 2nd place. But Yui chose not to mind. His boorish behavior was the least of her concern now. And despite his attempt to avoid contact, Yui took hold of his hand and the five of them bowed before the student body in unison.

After they got off the stage, the College of Arts was called next and then, the College of Culinary Arts. Yui immediately remembered Mikan. She hoped she made it, too. And just like earlier, she clasped her hands in prayers and hoped for the best. The 5th and 4th placer was named. Zeric's rumored girlfriend, Tayla, was named 3rd place.

"In second place is…. Mikan Yuuki-sama."

Yui cried for joy. "We made it! We both made it!" she shouted in her head. Flicking out her phone, she snapped a photo of the hologram screen with Mikan's face on it. She knows Rito would love to see his sister's glorious moment. She also took a selfie with her flashing a V-sign.

"Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!- Yui" She wrote on the selfie she took before sending it to Mikan.

"Now, everything's ready." She said then she stared at her phone's wallpaper lovingly. It's a picture of Rito's sleeping face which she took while no one was looking. "What's taking you so long, idiot?" She whispered. "Come back already."

"All top five students of the College of Culinary Arts, please come up on stage. Thank you." The emcee announced.

Yui quickly flicked her phone to camera mode, ready to take a picture of Mikan-chan, just like a proud mom.

* * *

><p>The sound of wooden swords clashing resounded in the empty arena as one of the new generals of Planet Memorze and his apprentice faced off in a practice fight. The fully-armored general stood inside a poorly drawn circle on the ground while the apprentice launched attacks from outside the circle. The student tried to force his opponent towards the edge of the circle by using his alien strength and speed to his advantage but despite his efforts, the general remained unfazed and easily parried his attacks with minimal movement.<p>

After a while, the student stopped and paused for breath. "Saruyama-sensei, let's have a break. We've been at it for two hours already." He complained, before sitting on the ground and wiping off the sweat on his face with his sleeve.

The general smirked. His student's way of complaining reminded him of the time he first came to Ren's planet and trained as a soldier. He was one whiny brat back then. Luckily, he changed with time. "You should get used to it, Dylan, because real fights take much longer than two hours." he cautioned, resting his wooden sword over his shoulder.

"I know, sensei." The youth answered, looking up to his mentor. "But you should go easy on me since this isn't a real fight." He countered.

Saruyama laughed in amusement. "If I do that then there's no point in training, is there?" he said before assuming a fighting stance again. "Now, come at me, Dylan. You won't learn how to break someone's defenses like that."

"Ugh. Already?" the lanky apprentice whined but he stood up nevertheless. Before they could resume their training, however, a small green dragon swooped down from the air and let out a shrill scream. The two guys looked up and watched as the creature circled above them before it descended to perch on the general's outstretched arm.

"Welcome back, Dracona." Saruyama crooned while scratching its chin with his finger. The little dragon let out a small hiss before giving its master a peck on his right cheek. Dylan watched the exchange with a wistful expression. In their planet, not everyone can have a dragon as a familiar. Dragons are very picky about who they want to be their masters because they are proud and unpredictable creatures. Hence, it's considered a great feat to be able to tame a dragon.

Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Dylan cleared his throat. "Uhm, Saruyama-sensei. How did you manage to tame a dragon?"

"Oh, that. Hmm…" Saruyama said distractedly as he plucked out a small parchment from his dragon's pouch. Upon seeing the royal seal, his face turned serious as he unrolled the parchment and read the message within. Dylan watched his teacher anxiously. Usually, the messages Dracona delivers are about serious threats that his teacher had to deal with personally. But to his surprise, his teacher's face visibly brightened up.

"Sensei?" Dylan called as his teacher stood there, smiling broadly.

"Oh. Yeah." Saruyama cleared his throat, remembering where he was. "Sorry, Dylan. Let's continue with our training next time, okay?" he said, ruffling his student's spiky blue hair. His happy demeanor confused the young one even more. Based on experience, there was only one reason his trainer would look that jubilant.

Dylan put his hand on his hip. "Saruyama-sensei, I hope you're not going to the brothel again. Your womanizing skills need a lot of wo- ow!" a sharp hit behind his head cut off the rest of his sentence.

"Idiot! Who said anything about brothels?!" Saruyama scolded, his cheeks looking a bit flushed.

"What? You only look like that when you're meeting a woman!" Dylan said accusingly, while nursing the bump on his head.

Saruyama laughed aloud. "Do I? Well, sorry to disappoint you kid but I'm going to meet a man soon."

Dylan gasped. "A man? Don't tell me you're a-" his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Don't make me hit you again." Saruyama warned, raising his palm in emphasis. The student immediately covered his head protectively. "Anyway, go have some rest. I'll have a talk with Ren first."

"Ah! That's Prince Ren to you!" Dylan protested but the general simply shrugged off his protest and started to leave.

"Wait! So, who's the man you're going to meet soon?" Dylan asked aloud.

Saruyama looked over his shoulder. "My best friend." He said with a huge grin before he continued to walk away with a spring in his step and while whistling a happy tune. He can't wait to tell Ren, Mio and Risa that the three sages had finally arrived in Deviluke to give the verdict on Rito's return, thanks to his reliable information source in Deviluke itself.

On the other hand, Dylan stared at his teacher's back dumbstruck. It was the first time he heard of his teacher having a best friend. True, the general got along well with everyone but he never lets anyone that close. He heard from others that he's the type to take dangerous missions alone and leave his comrades behind, making them worry about him constantly. This best friend of his must be very special to make his teacher smile like that.

_"I wonder what kind of person he is."_ he thought. Suddenly, his stomach grumbled noisily. "All right, enough of this. I'll go get some food first." he said, before running off to the opposite direction to enjoy his unexpected day off.

* * *

><p>Inside the royal conference room, the King of Deviluke watched from his chair the latest news coverage of his future son-in-law's victory in Planet Ebon. According to the three-eyed parakeet reporter, the reptilian army invaded their planet and established a tyrannical government two years ago. Rebellions were launched however, when their Chieftain's daughter, Fia, was taken hostage in the castle, no further attempt to antagonize the conquerors was done- until today.<p>

Soon, the reporter gave a blow-by-blow account on how "_The Beast_" saved the Chieftain's daughter and overthrew the oppressive reptilian government to restore peace in their planet. As he spoke, they flashed video clips of the actual battle scenes with the masked protector as its highlight and it seamlessly captured his bravery and fierceness in the battlefield. The King saw no semblance of the weak and fragile looking boy of three years ago to the man in the video.

"_Earthlings are such interesting creatures,"_ The King thought, his lips quirked in amusement.

Afterwards, the camera shifted its focus to the event's host, Terry the Parrot. When Terry asked who they wanted to see, the crowd immediately shouted Rito's well-known alias while stomping their feet. Their reverence for him was apparent in their faces and as soon as he stepped on stage, their deafening shouts of glee were heard. There was certainty in every step he took and he waved his hand in greeting like a true politician. After shaking hands with the host, he stood before the podium and once the cheers died down, he delivered a simple thank you speech that seemed to resonate in the hearts of his audience.

Deeming that he had seen and heard enough, the King flicked his hand and the screen was turned off and disappeared from their sight. Silence permeated the room as the counselors and the royal tutors waited for the King's comments.

"So… what do you think of our boy, your majesty? He has become a fine prince, right?" Samhain asked, unable to bear the silence. After he spoke, Behemoth quickly slapped him behind his head and warned him to be quiet. Before the two could start arguing, the King rose from his seat and walked towards the door.

"Your majesty." Alistair called calmly, without rising from his seat.

"You know, the moment the three of you came back here, it was already decided." The King paused in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. "So hurry up and bring him home." He said with a smirk before leaving the room.

The moment the King left, the counselors were in an uproar. They were divided as to the King's decision to recognize the earthling as a successor. In the midst of these debates, the three royal tutors simply looked relieved.

"Let's go?" Samhain asked, as he rose from his seat and stretched his arms. Behemoth and Alistair smiled slightly and headed towards the door.

Their obvious nonchalance rubbed the discontented counselors the wrong way and they warned the three not to rest on their laurels since they don't hold any political power like them. But when they began to insult Rito as an earthling, Samhain's left hand was suddenly engulfed in flames.

"What were you all saying about our beloved student?" Samhain drawled, his eyes twinkling maniacally. The counselors were taken aback and they mouthed different provisions in the Constitution prohibiting his act of violence inside the royal conference room.

Before Samhain could lose control, Alistair took hold of his shoulder and said, "That's enough, Samhain. Rito is waiting for our message."

Upon hearing his reminder, Samhain's flame disappeared and he returned to his usual bright self.

"Oh yeah, that's right! We wouldn't want to keep him waiting now, huh?" he chirped.

The three of them soon left the room, leaving the counselors to wallow in their baseless threats and hypocrisy.

* * *

><p>High up in the castle in Planet Memorze, Prince Ren was in his balcony, looking at the setting sun with a huge grin on his face. He had just received the most wonderful news from Saruyama. According to his trusted contacts in Planet Deviluke, the three royal tutors of the prince consort have arrived in the castle and considering Rito's recent success as the "Beast" in Planet Ebon, it's highly possible that he would arrive in two week's time to claim his right to the throne. His heart pounded excitedly at the thought that they would meet again. He would definitely show off how manly he had become and make Rito admit defeat.<p>

Of course, the ordinary Devilukean citizens had no idea that the famous "Beast" of the Deviluke's Peace Corps they've been hearing about for the past three years was none other than their future King. The beast's identity has remained a mystery to everyone because he always hid his face behind a scary half mask but one look at his profile, he and Saruyama knew that it was Rito. So, they have followed his pursuits closely and Ren knew he had to step up his game in order to match his strongest rival.

He became more active in fighting battles in the name of his planet and became widely known as a peacekeeper and the greatest protector of their realm. Even his parents were so proud of what he had become. In the past, he was only obsessed in getting Lala's hand in marriage but now, he used his ability to take care of his territories as the future King of Planet Memorze.

"Ah~ I have grown into such an amazing man." Ren said dramatically with tears in his eyes.

"Stop being narcissistic brother. I also played a part in the battles you won, you know." Run said from inside his head.

"Yeah, well. I did all the fighting though." He argued.

"And I infiltrated the enemy base so that you could get your army inside it." She countered.

Ren grumbled. "Fine. You're amazing as well. But I'm still better than you."

His twin sister sighed in his head. "Anyway, it's time for us to change places. My concert in Planet Ettalia will start in 3 hours." She said.

He groaned. "Not another one. What if we switched again right in the middle of it?" he complained, remembering that awful concert where he made a fool of himself.

"What? You have long hair now so, there's no problem even if we accidentally switched places." Run said with a pout.

"D-don't misunderstand! I didn't grow my hair out for that! It's the proof of my manliness, get it? Just like the Spartans of Greece!" he explained frantically. He wanted to make his sister understand that growing out his hair had a deeper meaning and it's more than just a precaution of protecting his identity.

"Yeah. Yeah." Run said dismissively. "Anyway, don't forget the steps I taught you, okay?"

"Ugh. Damn it! I really hate dancing!" Ren groaned, remembering how hard it is for his pride to accept dancing in a dress and acting all girly against his will.

His twin chuckled. "Too bad, brother. We're still connected so you have to put up with it." she said with a shrug.

Ren massaged his forehead in frustration. "Did the elders tell you when we're going to have separate bodies? We've already reached the age of adulthood!"

She sighed tiredly. They've had this conversation before and no matter how much they wished to be separated, it hasn't come true yet. "Look, brother. They're also baffled that we're still like this, okay? Besides, there's nothing they could do about it so let's just be patient, Ren."

Ren took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry, Run."

"That's all right." Run smiled. "Now, let's switch."

Without another word, Ren took out a snuff box from his pocket and sniffed it. Once the itchy powder reached his nostrils, he sneezed and from the puff of smoke that engulfed his whole body, Run emerged.

"Thank you, brother." She said, placing the snuff box back to his pocket. Then, she took out her brother's phone to make a call. Once a familiar voice answered after the second ring, she smiled.

"Hello, Risa! It's me, Run. Is Mio with you? Good. Yeah, it's time for rehearsals. Meet me in my spaceship in 15 minutes, okay? Huh? What's that noise?" After a few seconds of listening, her cheeks blushed furiously as she recognized the sound. "What the hell, Risa?! Why is it that every time I call you're in the middle of doing _that_?" Laughter rang from the other line. "Stop it! It's not funny. Don't bring that man along, got it? Okay, bye."

"Mou! Seriously, that girl." Run said in exasperation, her face still burning.

"Was it too stimulating for you, sister?" Ren teased inside her head.

"You're one to talk. You're still a virgin, too."

"Wha- I-I can get any girl that I want- anytime, anywhere!" Ren said defensively.

Run giggled. "Yeah, says the boy who thought kissing a girl was nasty."

"I-I didn't say that!" he said, aghast.

"Technically, you didn't. But I heard your thoughts after kissing a girl two years ago, Ren." Run said teasingly. "And I also know who you compared that kiss to."

It was Ren's turn to flush in embarrassment. He hated the fact his sister can hear his thoughts as clear as day. "Damn it! Not another word, Sis. I'm warning you." He threatened.

Run blinked her eyes innocently. "What? You started it." She said reasonably. When her brother remained silent, she knew he was sulking. "Ah~ I can't wait to see, Rito!" she sighed, as the sun disappeared in the horizon.

"Sis, you're really pushing it." Ren said through gritted teeth. His twin grinned. "You're not the only one missing him, brother. So, be quiet. You're making me more suspicious of you."

Ren grumbled and finally, the inside of her head became quiet. Run looked towards the horizon again with a reminiscent smile on her face. She looked forward to that moment of running into his arms just like before and to tell him how much she had missed him and loved him after all these years. She had worked hard to become one of the well-known artists in the universe. She has become a lady worthy of his attention. She had imagined their fated meeting and had repeated that scene over and over inside her head. At first, it was just a wish but now that he's almost here, she will make it into a reality.

She lifted her arms and stretched. "All right. It's time to get ready." she walked back towards the room she shares with her brother to change into one of her dresses. The night is young and since she's in a good mood, she'll give her concert a bit more bang into it. She hummed the tune of her latest song as her head became full with new ideas for her concert.

* * *

><p>After the victory party, the village in Planet Ebon had settled into a peaceful quiet for the first time in two years. The villagers went back to their homes and slept soundly while Zastin and some guards of the Deviluke Peace Corps kept watch.<p>

The night was so serene but the commander felt restless. It wasn't because there's still an imminent threat. Actually, before they launched the attack to overthrow the reptilian government, the royal tutors have left Rito in charge of the whole operation and headed back towards Planet Deviluke. They said that depending on his performance, they would decide whether he could return to Planet Deviluke as a successor or not.

It has been hours since their victory was announced but still, he hadn't heard any news from them. Luckily, Rito was too preoccupied with the village chief and his daughter Fia to even remember the deal.

More than anyone else, he knew that Rito is worthy to be the next King of Deviluke. These past three years had been full of hardship and perils and yet, Rito persevered. Despite the deaths and betrayals he had witnessed along the way, his will remained as strong as ever. He's still kind and gentle towards the weak. He never gave up on anything or anyone. He kept pushing forward and became a source of inspiration to his men and to those he encountered along the journey. Indeed, Rito has grown so much and surely, the royal tutors had seen that, too. It's about time he was rewarded for his efforts.

Zastin stood up from his seat and looked at the midnight sky. But that's not the only reason he wanted Rito to come home. Since they left Planet Deviluke and started his intensive training, he hadn't heard Rito mention Lala or anyone he holds dear in his heart. He only focused on the task ahead. He went on to fight battles and then, he gave solemn words to honor their dead comrades afterwards. He thought he was strong because of that and admired him for it, too.

But once when he walked into Rito's office, he heard a strangled voice. Frightened that Rito was being attacked, he immediately entered his quarters and there he saw him struggling in Momo's arms, crying out Lala's name over and over in his sleep. Momo looked helpless as he held Rito. She was crying alongside him in that little bunk bed. Suddenly, Yami arrived and assessed the situation. As gently as she could, she wrapped her blonde hair around the struggling boy and lifted him in the air.

"I'll take it from here." She said simply. Taking that as a cue, Momo and Zastin went out of the room and left Rito into Yami's care.

"Has it always been like this?" Zastin asked, his voice rough with emotion.

Momo bit her lip. "I had no idea. He always asked for Yami after each battle, never me." She touched the door gently, hearing Rito's muffled cries. "Now, I know why."

Zastin took a step back and then another, in his mind's eye, he could still see Rito's struggling form and hear his screams. Soon, he was out of the door, fleeing as fast as he could.

"_What have we done?"_ These words floated in his head as he walked as far away from their camp as possible.

It was then that he realized that all the fighting and deaths are breaking his gentle soul little by little. And yet, when he emerges from his quarters, he has that usual bright smile on that he forgot how much this young boy has to bear alone in silence. That's why they have to allow him to come home before he breaks down. He needs to be healed and they can't do that for him. Only Lala, his light and soul, has that ability.

The beeping sound from his computer brought him back to the present. Zastin quickly went to his seat to answer the incoming transmission from Alistair's ship. After a few minutes, his face cracked into a smile and he immediately set off to bring the good news to his charge, Rito.

The clanking of armor resonated in the empty corridor as Zastin ran towards Rito's quarters excitedly. "Muko-dono!" he shouted, as he barged into the room without knocking. He was immediately greeted by a dozen swords. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Yami in alarm. She was standing in a fighting stance in the middle room, dressed in her usual battle gear.

"You're too loud. I thought we're under attack." Yami whispered then, she slowly withdrew her swords and turned it back into hair.

"I'm sorry." Zastin apologized. "I-I was too excited to bring him the good news." He whispered in a rush.

"What news?" she asked, her crimson eyes looking at him curiously.

"Home." He said, unable to hold back his grin. "We can finally go home."

Yami blinked and then, her gaze softened. "I see. That's good to hear." She said calmly. "But that will have to wait. For now, let him rest."

Together, they looked at Rito lying spread-eagled on his huge bed in his usual t-shirt and boxers and with Celine sleeping on top of his chest and Momo curled beside him on his right side.

"Okay. I'll see you all tomorrow then." Zastin bowed and took his leave. Without making a sound, Yami closed the door using her hair and changed back into wearing her comfy buttercup nightgown. Then, she walked back towards the bed, placed the soft comforter over their sleeping figures gently and slid back under the covers right next to Rito.

"We're going home, huh?" she whispered while looking blankly at the ceiling. Then, she turned to her side and gazed at Rito's sleeping face. "I guess this will be the last time we'll be like this." Slowly, she traced a finger along the side of his face. She would only dare touch him like that when he's asleep. The light touch made Rito grunt a little but he just continued sleeping peacefully. She smiled, happy that no bad dreams would haunt him in his sleep tonight. She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes, letting his scent envelop her in its loving warmth. She would surely miss this warmth. Tomorrow, he would go back to his rightful place beside the princess and they'll go back to how they were before. Her hold on his shirt tightened. _"Too bad, just when I had gotten used to sleeping beside him like this"_, she thought.

"Yuuki Rito." She whispered softly before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Now that's the end of the fourth chapter! Haha! So, how was it this time? Come on~ how about giving me a little review? I'd love to hear your thoughts, you know. (smiles)

Oh and if you're shouting, _"Where is it?! Where's the fluffiness?! The full-blown H-scenes!"_ while flipping tables and roaring with discontent. Okay, calm down. Haha!

Like you, I want to write it down and get it out of my system but no~ we have to practice self-control here. Once you see a warning before the start of a chapter then the scenes you've been waiting for have finally arrived. Fufufu~

So for now, hold back a little. We'll get to that point eventually, don't worry. (pats your back soothingly)

Anyway, look forward to the next chapter of this series! Take care everyone and thank you for your patience and continued support, my comrades! (salutes)

**P.S.**

"Mukodono" means son-in-law, or more specifically, a man who marries into a woman's family, taking the woman's family name.


	5. The Homecoming- Part One

**Chapter 5**

"**The Homecoming"**

**Part One**

* * *

><p>Dressed in his finest navy blue regimental uniform, Rito leaned back on his chair comfortably with his legs crossed and gazed at Planet Deviluke with a thoughtful expression as their ship came close to its cosmic territory. He could still remember the first time he went there to meet the most powerful monarch in the galaxy and future father-in-law, King Gid Lucione Deviluke. Three years had passed since he made a gamble to venture out on a dangerous quest. He was only a naïve human with idealistic views back then. After facing countless battles, he knew better. He sacrificed a lot of things, made mistakes and almost died but he never gave up. He gained experience, survived and now, he's going back to claim his victory.<p>

Soon, they received a voice transmission asking for their security clearance. With a nod to his subordinate, a hologram screen appeared in front of him and he delivered the name of his vessel (Nexus) and the security code he got from his mentor Alistair in a deep, clear voice. Each of the letter and number combination he said appeared on the screen promptly.

"Identification please." it asked as his face is reflected on the screen with a hand icon beside it.

Rito straightened in his seat and place his palm over the icon on the hologram screen. "Rito Yuuki, the prince consort and commander of the Devilukean Peace Corps."

A flash of light appeared from the screen to scan his palm and his face. It only took a few seconds for his biometrics to be verified such as his retinal signature, fingerprint, vocal pattern, etc.

"Welcome Back, Rito Yuuki-sama. The guards will escort your ship to the royal castle."

"Thank you."

As soon as the transmission ended, a battalion of ships emerged from Planet Deviluke and flanked the Nexus on both sides. Once they reached the planet's atmosphere, Rito immediately noticed the floating advertising balloons and holograms welcoming his return. Curious, he activated the monitor installed in his seat and he watched as different media channels announced the arrival of Deviluke's new hero, "The Beast". Their cameras followed his ship's slow descent towards the majestic marble bridge in front of the Royal Palace where he would be welcomed by spectators from all over the galaxy.

One of his two trusted deputies, Tristan, hooted at the sight. "Wow. They all love you, don't they, Rito?" he said, amused. He is a relative of the high elf and royal tutor, Alistair, so he has the same slender frame, bobbed silver hair with purple tips and blue eyes. The noticeable differences are he's arrogant and he hasn't bothered to master the art of polite speech like his uncle.

"It's _Commander Yuuki_, Tristan. How many times do I have to say it?" Hyzark, the other deputy, said in reprimand. He is a slender youth with black-slitted eyes, long white hair, sharp cat ears and yellow skin with black spots like a jaguar's. He is from Planet Felitri and their race is known for their strength, catlike agility and fierce loyalty.

"What? He told me I could call him by his first name." Tristan said with a shrug. "You're so uptight."

Hyzark's ears started to perk up in irritation and before they could start getting into an argument, Rito cleared his throat. The two immediately stopped; the elfin youth looked nonchalant while the other blushed a little.

"Just like we discussed," Rito looked at the elfin male. "Tristan, after the whole regiment have landed, you'll lead the third princess' entourage."

"Yes."

"And Hyzark," Rito glanced at him. "I'd leave my ship in your hands for the time being."

"Yes, Commander Yuuki!" Hyzark answered with a salute.

"Uptight." Tristan teased and the Felitrian male hissed in response.

Rito coughed again, trying to hide his grin. Though they always bickered like that, they fight well together in the battlefield, whether they'd admit it or not. "Well then," Rito stood up from his seat. "Let's show them what we're made of." He winked before putting on his military hat.

As they both gave answering grins, Rito tipped his hat in acknowledgement and then, left the captain's deck to prepare for his extravagant descent later.

Once the door slid open, a small figure attached itself around his waist. Rito looked down and saw the pink flower head that belonged to none other than Celine. "Good morning, Papa!" she beamed as she looked up at him.

Rito smiled back. "And good morning to you, too." He pinched her nose with his gloved hand, making her giggle. "Ah, what's this? You're wearing a new dress?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Yes I am! Tadah~!" Celine backed away excitedly and showed off her new dress with her arms outstretched. She was wearing a beautiful buttercup yellow dress with puffed sleeves and mint green ribbon at the waist just for today's occasion. She grew up a lot since the time she left to embark on a journey with him. She was taller now and more expressive about her thoughts. She also discovered her special abilities and has become a great help in his missions. She is on her way of blossoming into a wonderful little lady and as her guardian, he is very proud of her.

"Hmm~ let me see it more closely." He took her little hand in his and twirled her around, as if they were dancing. Her eyes widened with delight.

"Yup, it's beautiful! It looks really good!" he said in approval. Celine laughed and went along with him eagerly, remembering the steps he taught her before. Humming a tune together, they danced a simple waltz in the corridor.

"You two seem to be having fun." The pair turned to see Momo in a beautiful glittery coral blue mermaid dress, watching them with a smile. "May I join in, too?" she asked, tilting her head to the side cutely.

"Uwaa~ you're beautiful, Momo-nee-chan!" Celine said, clapping her hands excitedly. "Come and join us! Let Papa have a closer look at you, too." she extended her hand towards her, welcoming Momo within their circle.

"Oh, he's welcome to do that to me and _more_." Momo winked, flashing a teasing smile towards Rito.

"More?" Celine asked in confusion. The simple question brought the prince consort up short.

"All right, let's dance!" Rito interrupted then he hummed and twirled Celine around. Luckily, it was enough to distract the child from asking anything else. He cast a warning glance at Momo but she only chuckled and flashed an impish grin.

"Papa! Momo-nee-chan, too."

Having no choice, he took Momo's hand in his and twirled her around just like Celine. The child giggled away while the third princess tried to subtly show off her curves with her dress that he soon realized was backless.

Rito gulped and tried to keep his eyes from seeing too much. Looking closely at Momo (like what Celine suggested) is dangerous in many ways. It's been three years already but he still hadn't become immune to her advances. If it weren't for their deal, he would've been swept away by his hormones and be ashamed to return to Lala's side forever.

In his distraction, Momo's foot got caught in her dress and she stumbled forward. Instinctively, the tangerine-haired youth quickly caught her and held her close to his side.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Oh, yes~" She answered in a breathy tone, blushing.

He stiffened, confused by her provocative reaction. As if to answer the question in his eyes, Momo tilted her head to the side as her answer. Rito realized belatedly that his right hand landed over her butt, near her sensitive tail. _Oh shit, _he thought. In his panic, he quickly adjusted his hold but that sudden movement earned another moan from her.

He glared at her as he blushed to the tips of his ears. Her deliberate actions were definitely not helping. Momo smirked and pressed her body closer to him, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

"Celine~ let's hug Rito like this." She suggested, holding his arm between her breasts.

"Okay~"

"Wha-? Momo! Stop teaching her weird things!" Rito said, flustered. He couldn't shove the child away so he moved his arm from left to right instead to prevent her from getting a hold of his arm. The girl thought it's a game and she became more pumped up to catch his arm, much to Rito's dread. On the other hand, Momo was laughing shamelessly beside him and cheering Celine on.

They were too preoccupied that they didn't notice the moment another person came to the corridor to witness their ruckus. Before Celine could catch Rito's arm, locks of blonde hair wrapped around her chest and lifted her off the ground. Finally, they became aware of her presence. "Ah, hello, Yami-nee-chan~!" Celine greeted, waving her hands enthusiastically as she hung in the air.

"That's enough playing around, Celine and Momo." Yami said in her usual serious tone of voice. "And you-" she turned towards their commander. "It's time for us to go."

"Right. Thanks, Yami." Rito smiled, relieved to have Yami handle the situation.

"Hmph. Party pooper." Momo pouted. Then, she pulled on Rito's arm again and leaned over. "Remember your promise, Rito." She whispered against his ear.

Her reminder brought color to his cheeks again. "I-I know already." Rito whispered back. Satisfied with his response, Momo let him go and backed away with a smile.

The prince consort sighed, wondering how she could look so calm every time she reminded him of their promise. Just the mere mention of it brought him back to that certain moonless night in the past. He swallowed as the image of her naked form came to mind. _"Ugh. Stop it."_ He mentally shook himself. Incidentally, his eyes met Yami's and he quickly looked away before she could read anything from his eyes. He didn't want to give her another reason to call him a pervert. Instead, he reached out to take Celine in his arms to cover up his brief distraction.

"Now Celine, be a good girl while I'm gone. I'll see you in the palace later."

Her arms around his neck tightened. "Take care of yourself, Papa. Okay?" She asked with a tinge of worry reflected in her eyes. She didn't like it when Rito goes out because he sometimes returns with injuries. Also, there were bullies in the castle. She feared that they might bully Rito if they knew he's important to her.

"I will." He said, then he kissed her forehead. The child smiled and hugged him tight again. After a brief hug in return, Rito put her down and the young girl linked her hand with Momo's in a trusting gesture. Celine had lost count how many times she saw him off like that beside her big sister Momo, hoping he would return to them safely just like always.

"We'll go on ahead, Momo, Celine." He said, after giving the final instructions to Momo about their plans. "Let's go, Yami." The two turned and made their way towards the elevator that would lead to the deck below.

Once inside the safety of the elevator, Rito breathed a sigh of relief. "You saved me today, Yami. Thank you." He said, smiling.

"It's nothing." Yami replied.

Rito studied her from the corner of his eye. Despite being a special day today, he noticed that Yami is still wearing her usual gothic attire. "Uhm, you're not going to wear something different today?"

"Is it necessary?" she asked.

"N-not really." He said, flustered. "Forget I asked."

Just then, the elevator stopped and the door slid open. With a mumbled excuse, Rito went out to tend to the final preparations himself. As Yami watched Rito talk to some of his men, she noticed that everyone around her was wearing the official navy blue uniform of the regiment instead of their casual overalls. Her eyes went to her outfit.

"Wait. Let me ask Yami about-" Rito turned to ask her opinion about something but to his surprise, she was gone.

"Commander?" one of men got his attention.

"Ah, never mind. Let's do this then…"

* * *

><p>Inside the castle, there's a flurry of activity as they prepared for the much awaited arrival of their planet's hero and next monarch. All floors were cleaned until they were spic and span and security sweeps were done consistently in anticipation for any outside interference. It was especially busy inside the royal kitchen, too. Because of their guest's special taste, Mikan was personally involved in the menu planning because of her expertise in Japanese cuisine and Saki's company, Tennjouin Corporation, provided the needed premium ingredients from Earth.<p>

Now for appetizer, they decided to go with crab chowder. Truthfully, some of the chefs said it was too simple to be _the_ appetizer but Mikan told them that she has her own special recipe for it and that it was one of her brother's favorite dishes. At that, the opposition relented because their guest's enjoyment was the most important thing and Mikan knows it best.

Mikan looked at the pot of crab chowder in front of her, wondering if her brother would remember her because of its taste. "_He might have forgotten about it. It's been three years after all,"_ she thought. Her heart gave a sudden flip again. "_That can't be, right?"_

"Mikan." Aerin, her best friend, tapped her by the shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Mikan blinked. "Ah, yeah. Why'd you ask?" she said as she resumed stirring the chowder.

The redhead Devilukean nudged her with her hip. "Admit it. You're excited about seeing your brother again, right?" she teased, her dimple showing on her cheek.

"W-why would I be? It's only my brother." She said defensively.

"Heh~ Do you mean to say that when you almost jumped off the roof when you heard about your brother returning was _you_ being calm? Hmm…" Aerin looked at her knowingly.

The brunette blushed as she remembered the way she acted after Yami called her with the news of her brother's return. And from the wide grin on Aerin's face, it seems she recalled it, too. Embarrassed, Mikan lowered the heat to a simmer and then, turned her friend around by the shoulders. "G-get back to work already, Aerin." she said, pushing her back towards her work station.

"Geez, you're so not honest." she giggled, letting herself to be led back to her station.

"Chef, there's a couple of slackers here!" Tayla Stavius, the 3rd placer, called out. She has long and straight blonde princess style hair, icy blue eyes and full, sensual lips. She is considered the most beautiful Devilukean in their year and the great Sycliffe heir's unofficial girlfriend. Outsiders have a high regard for her because her father owns Stavius Suites, a chain of prestigious hotels around the universe but the two knew better than to be fooled by her appearance.

"Jealous, Tayla? You can join us if you like." Aerin said, grinning.

"No, thanks. I'm too good to hang out with the likes of you and that human." Tayla said, flashing that fake smile they knew so well.

"Aerin-" Mikan tried to pull her friend back but the redhead stood in front of Tayla's table undeterred.

"Oh~ So you think a 3rd placer like yourself is too good to be with us- the 1st and 2nd placer?" Aerin said, pointing at herself and Mikan respectively. "Hmm. Your logic doesn't make any sense." She concluded with a fake smile of her own.

Tayla's cheeks flared. She never really liked being treated like an idiot. The two glared at each other and were about to exchange more hateful words when the head chef's clap broke the tension.

"That's enough, you two. Back to your stations." The head chef, Willian, scolded. He's a stout man with a bushy white mustache, round glasses and swirl-shaped Devilukean tail. His hair is black with streaks of white and he's wearing the tall white toque with the royal emblem that signified his position in the Royal Kitchen.

"Yes, Chef." They both answered, staring at each other for a few seconds before going back to their tasks. Mikan sighed tiredly. It's been two weeks already but Tayla still refused to get along with her fellow trainees, especially with her and Aerin. She preferred to cook the meals assigned to her alone and she never asked for help. She sneaked a glance back at Tayla and saw her working diligently. It's a fact that she's hard to deal with and she hated her boyfriend but Mikan respected her skills as a chef. The food Tayla makes were undoubtedly superb and she hoped that someday she'd be able to work with her.

Later, the brunette went back to stirring her chowder and then, she took a small amount and tasted it. Satisfied with how the appetizer turned out, she called the head chef over for the final critique.

"As expected, it's delicious. Good job, Mikan." Willian complimented.

"Thank you, Chef." Mikan smiled, bowing in appreciation.

The head chef looked at his watch. "We're almost done here. You can go freshen up. Your brother is almost here, yes?" he said with a wink.

"Please let me stay here and help out more, Chef."

The head chef smiled at her eagerness. It was refreshing to see someone so passionate about cooking. "Just give me a heads up, okay?" He patted her shoulder in a fatherly way and went to check on another dish. Mikan took a deep breath and let the familiar scents surround her and calm her nerves. It reminded her so much of their home and she hoped to make Rito feel the warmth of coming home to his family and friends in today's feast.

With a lilt to her steps, she went about the kitchen to help out and to learn as much as she can. Since Rito went out of his way to make himself the best man in the universe, she would try her hardest to become the best chef the Royal Kitchen of Deviluke has ever had.

* * *

><p>Their ship had docked at the end of the bridge without a hitch. According to the plan, he would ride out with his trademark mask on and on top of his familiar, Celes. Celes is an enormous, fierce looking black war lion with sapphire blue eyes, scaly wings of a dragon and adorned in ornate armor of white, blue and gold. She first appeared before him in response to his desire to survive during his first battle in one of the chaotic planets outside the Milky Way galaxy and Celes been his familiar since then.<p>

He stood beside the creature inside its quarters and stroked its head lovingly. His tutors insisted that he should make an entrance the crowd wouldn't forget. _"Since you're dubbed a hero, you might as well go all out,"_ Samhain suggested. However, he's not only riding out just to please the crowd but also to show off how proud he is of his familiar. She isn't a mere spectacle for everyone's pleasure but a creature worthy of the highest respect. His eyes softened as he felt traces of scars hidden beneath its silky fur. They have been to real battles together and rarely left the field unscathed. Surely, he would have a lot of stories to tell once he comes down and meet his beloved Lala.

_Lala._ His hand stopped in mid-motion as her name conjured her sweet, smiling face in his mind. After three long years of separation, he would finally see her face to face and that thought made his heart race in his chest. He had always dreamed of this moment. His desire to see her has driven him past his limits to accomplish his goals. But that same desire has changed him in many ways, too. His clenched his hands to fists as they started to tremble. He remained faithful to her in his heart but he did things which he doubts she would accept if she knew. The King might also think he's still unworthy of her or worse, Lala might have fallen out of love for him.

Unconsciously, he started to pace the floor as his head became filled with worries and doubts. In the middle of his musing, golden blonde hair lifted him off the ground.

"You never learn, do you?" Yami chided as she caught Rito's attention. "Your useless pacing is making your familiar nervous." She added, pointing at Celes with a flick of her head.

"Oh." Rito looked at Celes and then at her. "I'm sorry. It's just that… it's been so long I-" he looked away guiltily, his brows furrowed together in thought. For a moment, he felt pathetic for always showing his weakness to her.

Upon seeing his conflicted expression, Yami sighed and brought him closer to her. Without a word, they held each other's gaze and then slowly, she touched his forehead with hers and guided him into taking deep breaths. It was the only way she knew how to calm him down throughout the three years they've been together.

Gradually, Rito closed his eyes and followed her lead. Soon, his shoulders began to relax and the worry on his face disappeared. It was strange that she used to make his chest jump out of his chest because of fear but now, she's able to comfort him, even in his dream state.

"Are you feeling calmer now?" she asked after a while.

Rito opened his eyes and stared directly at her deep crimson eyes that have always looked gentle at such a distance. "Yes. Thank you, Yami. I really needed that." He smiled gratefully.

Flustered by the fuzzy feeling he made her feel, Yami backed away and flicked his forehead with her fist-shaped hair.

"Ow!" he said as his hand soothed the part she hit. Finally, he got a good look at her and noticed her outfit. Her black gothic dress was replaced by navy military-style one piece. It has long sleeves, two columns of gold buttons lined the front and a matching belt of white and gold cinched her waist.

He smiled because Yami took his words earlier seriously and he found that part of her endearing. "You look really cute in that, Yami." He said, "As expected of our angel."

His compliment was the last straw. She dropped him on the floor like a hot potato and said with a glare, "Don't look at me like that, pervert." Ignoring his chuckle, she turned her back at him and walked away.

She felt strangely feverish. Her heart's pounding hard in her chest, too. _"Am I sick?"_ she thought, confusion marring her features. She can't understand why her body turns into such a state only when her target is around. Back on Earth she had similar symptoms but it wasn't that serious. Now, the feeling stayed with her longer and his every move and every word towards her triggers it. _"Maybe I should start reading some medical books…"_

Meanwhile, Celes nudged her master's face with her nose and made a soft whimper. Rito stopped laughing and stroked his familiar's head lovingly. "Don't worry. I'm okay now." He reassured the animal. With its help, he got on his feet and said, "Let's go, Celes!"

Once his familiar lithely came to stand by his side, Rito climbed onto its back and together, they ran after Yami who was walking away in short, quick strides. Thanks to her, he's back to his usual self.

Upon their arrival, the uniformed men in the dock quickly stood at attention and faced their leader.

"At ease." Rito said, which the group happily obliged.

After regarding his men's faces, the commander gave his thanks and congratulated them for making it back with him safely. Since they graduated as trainees and their special regiment was established in Planet Xenos, he acknowledged their bravery and loyalty for fighting battles with him for the sake of maintaining peace in the Milky Way Galaxy. His voice trembles a little as he expressed gratitude to those who lost their lives along the way and said their sacrifice would be remembered always. At this, some men were shedding tears for their fallen comrades. Then as a final note, he welcomed them back home and declared that he is proud to call them his allies. As a sign of respect and gratitude towards them, he gave them a snappy salute.

As one unit, the men answered his salute with one of their own and then, they cheered in loud voices, chanting their commander's name in unison.

Rito pressed a button in his watch and his trademark mask appeared on his face. After that, with a slight nod of his head, Tristan gave the order to summon their assigned equipment like laser rifles, sabers, drums, trumpets, flags, banners, etc. Once settled, he called them to attention and directed them to turn towards the dock exit simultaneously.

The panel opened towards the sides and the bright morning sun slipped between the gaps. Once the wide stairs connected to the bridge and the ship settled, the trumpets sounded followed by the rhythmic beat of the drums. Then, in a deep, clear voice, Rito ordered, "Forward march!" and the whole troop marched out of the ship with their heads held up high and their banners swaying with the wind. The crowd below cheered upon their descent.

Once the regiment was on the ground, the instruments stopped playing and then the drill commander broke away from the front and faced the unit with a stern expression. Seeing that everyone's in position, he issued a command in a loud voice and then, the regiment separated into four platoons- two on each side of the ship's exit without breaking cadence. The crowd applauded at their display of discipline and oneness.

Next, as the instruments sounded again, a bright red carpet rolled out in the middle of the formation and then, some of the soldiers lined up and took out their sabers to make a sword arch. Soon, the third princess' white and gold gilded carriage came out. As instructed, Tristan led the entourage atop his silver-horned unicorn. Princess Momo and Celine waved at the people they passed by. Flower petals were tossed in the air to welcome their princess' arrival.

Upon seeing the last of the third princess' entourage reach a certain point in the carpet, Rito adjusted his white dress gloves and took his saber out of its scabbard, swinging it a few times in preparation. Satisfied with his grip, he placed it back in its holder.

"Are you ready, Yami?" he asked.

The look he turned towards her made her heart skip a beat again. She couldn't say no to those bright, unwavering eyes of his so instead, she let her pure white wings come out and said, "Don't mess up."

"I know." he chuckled. "All right. Let's go!"

Yami flew out first, making a perfect twirl in the air and then, she struck a pose with her wings spread out beautifully. "Look! It's the Angel! The Angel!" The children waved at her excitedly.

She acknowledged them with a wave of her hand and then she flew under the sword arch at maximum speed. Before they could see where she's going, their attention quickly shifted towards the ship as Celes appeared and let out a loud roar. The creature looked ferocious and beautiful at the same time. But what intrigued them the most was its masked rider in full military uniform.

It was their first time to behold the "Beast" of the Devilukean Peace Corps. Unlike his contemporaries who enjoyed their time in the limelight and let everyone know about their life, the Beast kept his identity private. Many attempts were done to uncover his real identity however, it all ended in failure because his security is tight and the ones he helped personally were unwilling to say anything. Hence, no one knows where he came from or how he became the commander of the newly formed elite force, the Devilukean Peace Corps. He remained a mystery until that moment. They're hoping it will all come to light today.

At Rito's signal, the familiar jumped off the ship and ran under the arch at break neck speed and once they reached the end, her rider pulled on her reins and Celes stood up on its hind legs and together, they let out their battle cry. His men mimicked the sound, emboldened with pride as warriors. The spectators felt goose bumps as they heard the eerie sound.

The drums beat slowly and Rito took out his sword and executed perfect drills with his saber in preparation. Then with a snap, he let out a command and the whole regiment performed a silent drill with their rifles as they marched forward. The crowd clapped enthusiastically. They were amazed at how effortlessly they maneuvered their rifles in their hands. They twirled it, tossed it in the air and switched arms without breaking formation. The children, on the other hand, fell in love with the Beast and his familiar. Though the pair scared them at first, their gracefulness in moving in sync amazed them. Soon, they were following the two as they marched forward, not wanting to let them out of their sight.

_"So far, so good."_ Rito thought, pleased that he was able to do his part perfectly and the crowd seemed to accept them wholeheartedly. It was a testament they're welcomed here. He looked at the towering castle of Deviluke. "The time has finally come, huh?" He took a deep breath.

From a distance, he noticed soldiers wearing the Devilukean armor escort the third princess' entourage ahead. Soon, four mounted individuals were coming towards him.

On their approach, Rito gave the order to stop and Yami descended from the above to stand beside him and his familiar.

Two of the escorts were unrecognizable because of their full armor but based on their coat of arms, Rito assumed they're the representatives of the Royal Family of Memorze, Deviluke's foremost ally.

The other pair were the representatives of Deviluke. First was Zastin, the incumbent commander of Devilukean Army, wearing his usual armor and the other one was Lord Melcohm Sycliffe, a member of the Royal Court dressed in a white suit and fur-lined emerald green robe.

Rito steeled himself at the sight of the nobleman. He is a grey haired man with burly built, sharp green eyes behind silver rimmed glasses and a full beard. Everything about him bespoke authority and confidence.

According to his sources, Lord Melcohm is considered the most influential figure in the council and he strongly opposed Princess Lala's engagement to him. Rumor has it that he harbored the ambition of making his eldest son Zathur to become the King but because of Rito's failure to rescue him in the battlefield three years ago, he had to pass that dream on to his second son, Zeric.

Rito knew that this day would come where he would face the powerful father of his fallen comrade, Zathur. He just hoped that Lord Sycliffe would not let his grief prompt him to make a scene. There is a right time for them to discuss about the details of the incident and the bravery of his eldest son.

After sheathing his saber, Rito expertly dismounted from his familiar and handed over the reins to Yami. And without a hint of hesitation, he strode forward to meet their distinguished escorts.

* * *

><p>Mea was perched on the divan, eating her favorite candy as she watched the live coverage of the Beast's arrival, the fierce commander of the Devilukean Peace Corps, on her holographic television. Looking at his image now, she couldn't believe how much the prince consort had changed. The memory of them fighting in the East Garden was still fresh in her memory. She smirked as she rolled the candy in her mouth with her tongue. The thought of finding out how much stronger he had gotten since that time thrilled her.<p>

"I don't like that look in your eyes, Mea." A voice scolded her from the door.

Mea looked up and saw the second princess standing by the door with a disapproving look. "What look?" she asked, grinning innocently.

Nana rolled her eyes, not buying her friend's play at innocence. "You know what I mean." She said, closing the door behind her. "What are you watching anyway?" she asked, moving towards the divan.

"Oh, the arrival of our future King." Mea answered nonchalantly, settling more comfortably in her seat. "He's pretty impressive, you know."

Nana glanced at the television, unimpressed. "I reserve my judgment. Ruling a galaxy is different from fighting a bunch of infidels."

Mea flinched. "Ouch. You're a tough one to please. Even though he took the chance to take the moniker you gave him seriously…" her voice trailed off suggestively.

Nana turned into a bright shade of red. "Wha-?! H-how did you even know about that?!" she demanded.

"I have my own sources. Fufufu~" Mea smirked, enjoying the look of embarrassment on her friend's face.

"W-Well anyway, he hasn't impressed me yet so, h-he still has a long way to go." Nana scoffed, crossing her arms in defiance.

"Whatever you say, Princess." The redhead said with a shrug. Nana wanted to press her point further but Mea appeared bored now so she dropped the subject. She would have to try and convince Mea about her thoughts on the prince consort at another time.

"Let's go, Mea. My father is expecting us in the grand ballroom." She said briskly, remembering why she was there in the first place.

"Hai. Hai." Mea stood up and picked up the slim remote control.

"I-I'll do that. Y-you can go on ahead." Nana said as calmly as she could.

Mea raised an eyebrow at this but she didn't question her and simply handed her the remote. Once she was out of the room, she shook her head.

"My, my. What a dishonest princess I serve." She commented in a low voice. Though the princess tried to appear indifferent, Mea had found out a long time ago how closely Nana was monitoring the prince consort's progress on television. Right now, she might be thinking it's simply for research but Mea thinks otherwise. From her perspective, the second princess' fixation on the Beast is somewhat akin to love. The redhead walked away, placing her arms behind her head. But she wouldn't tell her that. It would be interesting to watch her princess struggle with her conflicting feelings, she thought with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Nana took another look at the television screen and watched as Rito and the representatives welcomed him to Planet Deviluke.

"Finally, you're here." she said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Heh! You might have fooled everyone to think you are good but not me. I'll expose you for who you really are, you beast!" she blushed, saying his alias out loud made her recall the first time she used it. Clearing her throat, she turned off the screen and left the room.

* * *

><p>After the four escorts dismounted and mimicked the Beast's snappy salute, Lord Sycliffe shook the young commander's hand and officially welcomed him to Planet Deviluke. They had a brief whispered exchange and then, Commander Zastin was next to offer his congratulations and to clap him on the back for a job well done.<p>

The two Memorzian representatives waited silently for their turn to be recognized. "I wonder why he still keeps his face hidden. Do you think he has a scar or something?" one of the pair whispered in a gruff voice but surprisingly, he got no response from his companion.

"Hmm, how odd. It's not like you to be quiet, General." He nudged the general by the shoulder and their armor clanked together.

"Ah." The sound brought him back to the present. "I'm sorry, Sir. I just had a flashback. Damn."

The older warrior chuckled. "Why? Is the Beast someone you know?" he asked curiously.

Before he could answer, the honored guest stood before them and extended his hand while expressing his gratitude for meeting him there. With a push of a button, the older warrior showed his face under his helmet and grinned. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the Beast in the flesh." He answered, shaking the young commander's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, General Erebus of the Memorzian Army." He answered.

"Very good." The older warrior beamed, impressed that the Beast recognized him. "By the way, this is my subordinate-"

"I see you've finally fulfilled your promise." The other warrior interrupted.

"Excuse me?" the Beast turned towards him. The glass on his helmet still hid half of his face so, Rito couldn't recognize him. But based on the patch on his armor's right arm, he's also a general.

"Ah, seriously, you're a tough one to beat!" The other warrior said in an exasperated voice. "Anyway, as expected of my best friend, you really make me proud, man." He continued before revealing his face underneath the helmet.

"N-no way." Rito gaped at the familiar spiky black haired guy before him. He hadn't expected to see him there, wearing Memorzian armor no less. "S-Saruyama?!"

"Yo!" he greeted with a cheeky grin and a casual salute with his middle and forefinger.

* * *

><p>Inside the grand ballroom, all the guests from noble families across the galaxy were gathered at the upper balcony. The hall below was left empty as instructed by the palace staff. As the huge holographic screen showed the arrival of Deviluke's vanguard of peace, Beast, they enjoyed the delicacies offered and the music playing in the background.<p>

The royal family was seated on the throne, overlooking the entrance to the grand ballroom. The King was sipping a glass of wine leisurely while the two princesses on each side of him were lost in their own thoughts. Princess Nana looked strangely displeased, with her chin resting on her clenched fist and her lips set in a straight line. Princess Lala, on the other hand, was watching the screen intently with a wistful look as her beloved and their friend Saruyama rode side by side towards the palace gate. Unconsciously, she fiddled with the metallic bunny bracelet with red eyes on her wrist.

The King caught her movement and immediately recognized the bracelet that her daughter calls Warp-kun. He cleared his throat deliberately. "If you go to him now without my permission, I'm going to send him away again. Don't test me." He warned.

Lala stopped fiddling with the device and sat up straighter in her seat. "I understand, Papa."

* * *

><p>The holographic projection disappeared and the trumpets sounded. As the last notes disappeared in the air, the honored guests' arrival was announced and then, the doors to the great hall were opened. A welcoming music was played and the guests stepped inside the venue in an orderly manner. First, Princess Momo walked alongside a green-haired flower girl they haven't seen before. Next was Lord Sycliffe with Commander Zastin followed closely by the two Memorzian generals. The last one to enter was the Beast himself. They have crossed a few meters across the room when Rito felt the atmosphere around them suddenly change.<p>

* * *

><p>The moment the door opened, Lala had to restrain herself not to stand up and fly towards her beloved. It's been three years since she last saw him and at last, he's finally home. First she saw her younger sister, Momo. Her pink hair reached her shoulders now in soft waves and she looked taller, leaner and a little bit tanned. It was only three years but her sister has blossomed beautifully into a lovely lady.<p>

Then her gaze shifted to the little girl beside her. She remembered seeing her in a picture Momo sent her several years ago. She was still a little tyke then but now, she's all grown up and looked very happy.

Afterwards, she saw the representatives for both her planet and Memorze. But she didn't give them that much attention because she always had a chance to see them in the palace. There was only one person she wanted to see the most and that is Rito.

As soon as he stepped inside the hall, her eyes stayed glued to him. She noted how much his physique changed since they were apart. Compared to before, he's taller, muscular and a little tanned. He walked confidently without tripping over something unseen. He has a different air about him and she felt so proud of him. She could only guess what he'd been through to have that confidence and to earn his title as the Beast.

But what she wanted to see most was his face. She wanted to see his gentle eyes and bright smile. She wanted to hug him tightly and to sleep beside him just like in the past. Overwhelmed by the memories, her eyes began to glisten with tears and her heart was filled with so much longing for him. She had waited patiently for this moment. She's actually tempted to go against her father's warning and just jump down to where he is now.

But before she could put her thoughts into action, there was a scream from the audience and then, she saw her sister Momo and the little girl collapsed on the floor below and was lifted in the air by an invisible force. Soon, the Devilukean representatives and the senior Memorzian general collapsed, too. The only ones who remained walking down the aisle were Rito and Saruyama, oblivious to what happened to their companions.

"What's going on, Father?!" Lala asked in a panicked tone. Her father hadn't mentioned anything about this.

"They have entered the simulation area I have ordered to be set up there earlier." The King answered calmly.

"But why are Rito and Saruyama awake?!" She asked in confusion. "If they get injured in that state, they'll die!"

"Now that's a shame, isn't it?" he lifted his glass and it was immediately refilled by the wine bearer nearby. "Now just sit still and enjoy the show, my daughter."

* * *

><p>Rito stopped and scanned his surroundings immediately. He could still see the nobility in the upper balcony but he couldn't hear anything from them.<p>

Something in his mind clicked. His tutors warned him that the King might have a surprise test for him but he hadn't expected that it would involve Momo and Celine into it.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lord Sycliffe scolded as Rito broke away from the line and moved towards the two girls.

"Momo!" he called out, his voice echoed as if they're inside a vacuum. The sound further confirmed his suspicion that they are inside a simulation. He quickly reached the two girls waiting for him at the aisle.

"Are the two of you all right?" he whispered, looking at them worriedly.

"We're all right, aren't we, Celine?" Momo asked the little girl.

"Yes, we are, Papa." Celine smiled innocently. "Did you see my walk? I didn't trip at all!" She said proudly.

"You did well, Celine." He said, stroking her hair playfully which earned him a giggle from the little girl.

"Momo." He whispered.

"I know." She whispered back, her face suddenly serious. "It's so like him to do something like this."

"Are you still here?"

Momo shook her head. "Only my consciousness." She answered while flexing her free hand. "I've lost my ability to sense the plants the moment I crossed a certain point in this room."

"How about Celine?"

"I'm not sure about that." She said quietly. "How about you?"

"I'm still here."

His answer made Momo look angry. "How can he-" Rito quickly shushed her with his finger to her lips. "Take this. Once I give the signal, break the vial and get out of here." He instructed, giving her a small vial discreetly. The third princess nodded and before they could say more, a hologram screen appeared overhead and the monarch of the land appeared, looking smug in his throne with a fresh glass of wine in his hand.

Rito and the others quickly got on their knee and their fists to over their hearts to pay their respects. On the other hand, the ladies bobbed a curtsy.

"Welcome, our brave new warrior." The King said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind my surprise for you. I have heard so much about your bravery and fierceness in battle. Hence, I personally want to see what you're capable of."

"I'll prove myself to you repeatedly if that is your wish, Your Majesty." Rito said calmly. "For the sake of fulfilling my promise to you, I'm prepared for anything."

The King laughed in amusement. "Prove yourself worthy then." He raised his glass in salute. "Give me a good show, _Beast_." He said and then, the screen disappeared.

"Wait, Your Majesty! I wasn't aware of this!" Lord Sycliffe protested but it was too late. The ground shook and an army of white robots with red goggles surrounded them in a circle.

"Now, Momo!" Rito shouted as he unsheathed his sword and assumed a fighting stance.

"Be safe, Rito." Momo said before she broke the vial in the ground and glittery, white smoke engulfed the simulation area in an instant. The scent was so strong and those who inhaled it felt a sharp pain in their brain.

The smoke cleared and only Rito and Saruyama remained at the center of the hostile robots.

"Shit. What was that smell?" Saruyama said, shaking his head as if to clear away the pain.

"Why are you still here?" Rito asked, agitated. "Do you know about this?"

Saruyama grinned. "I'm here to watch your back, man." He said, then he took out a baton from the side of his thigh, twisted it and it became a spear with a huge curved blade at one end. "I can't let you take all the glory by yourself. The one who kills the most robots, wins." He challenged, assuming a fighting stance as well.

Despite the perilous situation they're in, Rito laughed. "Suit yourself." He said, then together they fought the first wave of robots who attacked them with swords, spears and laser guns.

"6…7…" Saruyama counted out loud, the numbers rise each time he cut down a robot. "8…9… Yeah, I'm on a roll here! 10!"

Saruyama was too focused in close hand battle with the robots that he saw too late the robot that was about to fire at him. Before he could react, Rito quickly intercepted it by slicing its arm gun, kicked the robot down and brought his sword down against its head.

"Thanks, man. I owe you one." Saruyama said then, he pierced the last robot on his side through the chest. Its metallic body shivered and lost its power.

"Just don't get too carried away." Rito said before he set out again, jumped upwards and cut a robot in half. For a moment, Saruyama watched his friend and saw firsthand how truly merciless he is in a fight. He moved swiftly and targeted the vital points of his enemy. His clumsy and wishy-washy friend is gone, replaced by this fierce and adept warrior.

After almost half an hour of fighting nonstop, the last of the robots collapsed into a heap of broken metal and wires. Rito removed his sword from its body and looked over his friend nearby. "Are you done over there, Saruyama?"

"You bet!" the young general answered then he rested his spear over his shoulder. "Whew. We make a great team, huh?"

Rito smiled. "Agreed."

"So how many robots did you kill?"

The hologram screen flashed again before the Beast could answer. "That was impressive. I expected no less from the Beast of my elite force." The King said.

"Does this satisfy you, Your Majesty?" Rito straightened up and swished his sword to the side. "If not, I'm ready for the next round."

"No need. You've done well, warrior." The King smiled.

Out of nowhere, a fallen robot from behind came to life and hurtled towards him with a pointed spear. The crowd gasped and by a hair's breath, Rito dodged the weapon, he spun around and drove his sword down the robot's chest in a split second, cutting it in half. The force of the impact made bits of metal and sparks fly in the air. Finally, the robot shivered and the light from its eyes died permanently.

The ground shook again and the fallen robots were swallowed up underground and the shield surrounding the hall disappeared. Then, the two warriors finally heard the enthusiastic applause from all the nobles present. Saruyama was the first to congratulate him with hug and a handshake.

"Damn, that was a close call. Are you okay, Rito?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Believe me, I've been through worst."

"So, how many did you kill?"

"Excluding that last attack, I got a total of 30."

"I only got 25! Close enough, I'd say." Saruyama laughed, patting his back. "Anyway, you did really great in there. I'll make sure not to get on your bad side ever."

Rito chuckled. "Yeah, please don't."

All of a sudden, he heard someone call his name coming from above. His heart raced at the sound. He knew that sweet voice. He'll recognize it anywhere. He quickly sheathed his sword and looked around to find a glimpse of her.

"Rito!" he heard again.

"Lala!" he shouted back then, his chest felt tight with longing. He bit on his clenched fist to prevent himself from crying. "Calm down. Maybe this is another test." He mumbled to himself.

A blinding flash of light shone from above him and a familiar girl with long bubblegum pink hair, teal green eyes and dressed in a flowing pastel green dress appeared. "Rito!" she called out, her arms outstretched.

His self-control snapped. His body moved instinctively and sought to catch the girl in his arms. "Lala!" he called out her name, the name he always called out in silence and in his dreams. Even if it was a trap, it didn't matter to him anymore. He had waited so long to see her face and to hold her in his arms once again.

He stretched his arms wide to welcome her in his embrace and as they came in contact, they fell on the floor and the suppressed emotions they have harbored for all these years burst forth in the form of tears, wide smiles and tiny kisses.

"Rito… Rito… Rito!" Lala rained kisses on his face and then, hugged him tight as if wanting to bury him into her being and to feel that he's really there and not a figment of her imagination. "I'm so glad… I was so worried… I thought I wouldn't see you again… I really missed you, Rito…" she cried, her face buried against his chest.

His heart ached at how much he had hurt her. With as much care as he could muster, he maneuvered both of them into a sitting position. Then, with a push of a button in his wristwatch, he revealed his face to her for the first time.

"Look at me." Rito said, his voice rough with emotion. As Lala looked at him with her tear-streaked face, he reached out and wiped her tears away gently. "I'm home, Lala. Will you… still accept me?"

"Of course I will." Lala answered with a watery smile. "Welcome back, Rito!" she added in a cheerful voice.

Tears clogged his throat. Wordlessly, he fished out the gold locket necklace out from underneath his uniform, flipped the catch and took out the ring within it. It's a gold woven band with a special rainbow-colored gem cut into a diamond shape.

"Give me your hand." He said then he took her right hand gently and stared into her eyes. "I'm sorry for making you wait for so long. Now, I have come to fulfill my promise to you. Lala Satalin Deviluke, my beloved, will you marry me?" he proposed, his face flushed.

"Yes!" Lala replied, her tears starting anew. "Yes, I'll marry you, Rito!"

After Rito placed the ring on her ring finger, the two shared their first kiss as an official engaged couple. It's a heartwarming kiss with just the right amount of passion. Once their lips parted, they shared a look and laughed for no reason at all.

"Hmm, how cozy."

Startled, the couple finally noticed the King crouched beside them on the floor.

"Y-Your Majesty!"

"Papa!"

Upon seeing their flushed faces, the King snorted then he stood up and held out his hands for both of them. The couple took hold of his proffered hands and stood up on each side of the monarch. Then with a tap of his foot, the portion of the floor they're standing on detached itself and carried them upwards for all to see.

"Let it be known to all…" The King said in a clear, authoritative voice. "That I, Gid Lucione Deviluke, hereby declare that the _Beast_ of the Devilukean Peace Corps and prince consort of the First Princess, Rito Yuuki of Planet Earth, the future King of Deviluke!"

His announcement was greeted with approval from everyone inside the palace and those who have watched the live telecast of the whole event including the prince consort's touching proposal.

Rito leaned towards her ear and whispered, "I love you, Lala."

He loved how his words made her flush with pleasure. "I love you, too." She whispered back, her eyes shining with love and happiness. He held her by the waist and pulled her close to his side. For the first time in years, he felt free, warm and contented. He kissed the top of her head. _"Yes, this is where I'm meant to be."_ He thought with a smile.

Amidst the noise of applause and loud cheers, the royal couple smiled tenderly at each other and together, they waved towards the crowd as a sign of thanks to their warm blessing for their official engagement.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

And that's the first part of Rito's return to Planet Deviluke. Hahaha! So, how was it? Did it get you all teary eyed? Or pushed you at the edge of your seat maybe? Come on~ Please leave a review to give little Keira here the fuzzies. lol. XD

Thank you for reading this latest chapter! I do hope you liked how it progressed so far. I apologize for the delay in the update. I've been busy with real life, you know how it is. Haha! But don't worry, writing will always be my first love so, I might be slow but I'll definitely finish this one as well. ^^

Well then, look forward to the second part of this chapter! Take care always and have a great day ahead~!

xoxo,

Keira

* * *

><p><strong>ASK KEIRA CORNER!<strong>

So yeah, I've read some of your questions so, let me answer them briefly without revealing too much. Haha!

1. _How much time had passed?_

Keira: After graduation, **three years** had passed since then, so basically, Rito and his school mates are 21 years old.

2. _Why is Mikan graduating with Rito's peers? How did Haruna become a doctor? They got their careers way too fast!_ (Your reactions in a nutshell. Haha!)

Keira: In my version of Planet Deviluke, age is **not** an issue. So, even if Mikan decided to take up Culinary Arts as a teenager, it doesn't matter at all. They have the freedom to do what they like. Plus, they have the King to back them up, so, who the hell will go against his wishes, right? (smirks)

With regards to Haruna, she's Mikado-sensei's doctor-in-training. Haruna is very intelligent so I know she can handle the hands-on training Mikado-sensei is giving her. (I'll explain this in detail once I start writing her chapter)

3. Did Rito have some sort of enhancement done to his body?

Keira: Who knows? It's still too early in the story to reveal that, don't you think? (laughs)

4. Any last comments?

Keira: I know you're all curious about the detailed life of the girls and Rito. Don't worry, it will all come to light in due time. Just remember that the setting for this story is **my own version of Planet Deviluke**. All the restraints that we have here on Earth are, to some extent, not applicable. (smiles)

Still, I appreciate the questions you all posted in your reviews. Through this, I can tell how closely you are following my story. Your insights guide me on how to improve my writing, too. So, keep 'em coming! (smiles)

Well then, that's all for now. Till next time, minna-san~! (waves goodbye)


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